Cannock council tax set to go up by 1.95 per cent

Band D households will pay £230.04 in 2022/23 to Cannock Chase Council – up from £225.64 in 2021/22 – if the budget proposals are approved by the full council later this month.

Cabinet members backed the plans at a meeting on Wednesday.

Council leader Olivia Lyons said: “Residents really do rely on the services we provide and the increase will equate to less than 9p per week for an average Band D property.

“We want a council that doesn’t simply maintain services. We have a responsibility to ensure our taxpayers receive excellent services and value for every penny because it’s their money.

“We are moving out of a pandemic but there are ongoing impacts, such as loss of business rates due to lockdowns.

“The budget before you today is balanced but there are predicted shortfalls in the coming years. It’s imperative we take action to address these challenges.

“Work is ongoing to ensure our financial situation will balance in the medium term. Rather than recommending budget savings at this juncture, which would be rushed and could have a detrimental impact, we will be keeping a close eye on the emerging forecast while developing our long term strategic plan.”

Local authorities across the country continue to face uncertainty as to how they will be funded in the coming years.

A cabinet report said: “A new financial regime for local government was intended to be introduced with effect from 1 April 2021, then from 1 April 2022, but as a result of the pandemic this has been delayed until 2023-24. The ongoing funding for the council remains unclear with detailed work on the new regime being delayed and hence no indicative funding levels being available.

“Given the forecast for the financial position at the end of 2022-23 and the future budget pressures highlighted above, the council is going to need to find savings for delivery in 2023-24. The review of further shared services could deliver savings but at this point the business case is awaited and no decision has been made on whether to proceed.

“Alongside the work on the shared services business case, further work will be undertaken to identify options to deliver savings or generate income, of a magnitude that goes towards meeting the projected shortfalls in 2023-24 and 2024-25.”

Investment in the district will continue despite the funding challenges however.

In October, Cannock Chase Council was awarded £20m from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund. The windfall will go towards regenerating Cannock town centre.

Just over £44m has been budgeted for the district council’s Levelling Up work. On Thursday a council scrutiny committee meeting heard that the authority would need to borrow money to help fund the project.

Committee member Councillor Paul Woodhead asked: “With the borrowing we are looking to do around the Levelling Up project are we concerned that might put too much pressure on us as a council? We are a small council and we will have borrowing costs at a time when we have a shortfall.”

Councillor George Adamson said: “The need to make potential savings has been highlighted but councils work slowly. If you want to make savings for 2023/24 you need to start now, not in November, otherwise it’s not going to happen.”