COUNCIL tax will increase by almost three per cent in Redditch it has been decided after an annual budget meeting.
At a meeting last night, (Tuesday 24) councillors approved the budget which will see an increase to its part of the Council Tax bill of 2.99 per cent.
Redditch Borough Council collects the taxes on behalf of Worcestershire County Council, the Police and Crime Commissioner, Fire and Rescue Service and parish councils.
Residents in a Band D property will receive a total annual bill of £2,444.10, an overall increase of 4.40 per cent.
Redditch Borough Council’s Portfolio holder for finance, Coun Ian Woodall, said: “This council is committed to providing the best possible services to our residents, but we can’t do that if we cut provision.
“We have taken the decision to protect service s and raise Council Tax broadly in line with inflation. This rise is within the range accepted by the Government.
“The council continues to be in a stable financial position and, as ever, we continue to look towards the future for our residents. With devolution in mind, we are committed to ensuring we create a lasting legacy of robust services, investment, and regeneration that continues to make Redditch a wonderful place to live, work, and play.”
Leader of Redditch Borough Council, Coun Joe Baker said he believed upping the council tax was ‘the right thing to do’.
He said: “Now that the Labour administration here in Redditch has managed to sort the councils accounts and stopped the horrendous vanity projects going ahead from the previous administration, we have managed to put forward a balanced and sensible budget
“We only keep 12 per cent of all the Council Tax we collect, £5.33 a week – a tiny proportion of the total amount collected from our residents.
“However, we have and will continue to use this money to deliver the wide range of services to the high standards we do.
“Our balanced budget means we have not had to cut services and helps us to keep services fresh ensuring they continue to be high quality with our communities at their heart.”
