The council's response to the Local Government Finance Settlement 2025/26

A council spokesperson said: “The government has responded to our request to increase council tax, to help set our budget for next year, by granting us permission to raise council tax by 8.99% from April 2025 - an increase of 4% above the 4.99% cap.

“Recognising that only by increasing council tax and reducing the reliance on borrowing will the council become financially sustainable - our ask, to raise council tax by 20% above the current cap of 4.99%, was on the scale of increase necessary to set our budget following years of cuts to council tax from 2010.   

“Although 8.99% is significantly below what we requested, we have been clear to government that we’ll need to increase council tax over the next few years unless there is a significant increase in government funding, it is one of only six increases in the country to be agreed. This demonstrates a recognition that our low levels of council tax, and that they are so out of kilter with other areas, is a significant issue for the council and our financial sustainability.  

“We will consider what this means for us while we also await an outcome on the other part of our government support request, a loan which will need to be paid back over several years and which we will need to adjust given our council tax increase is less than we needed – ahead of us having a fuller picture of our budget position for the next financial year.”