Council bosses agree tax rise in Staffordshire

The move will help Staffordshire County Council plug a £35million hole in its budget over the financial year.

Councillors agreed on the tax increase at a meeting today - with 41 votes in favour to nine against.

Philip Atkins, leader of Staffordshire County Council, said: “By taking early, decisive action we are now in a position, not only to deliver a balanced budget for 2019/20, but also have put in place a robust financial plan for the next five years.

“We have been honest with residents about the scale of the challenge and the difficult decisions we have made and will continue to face. We have listened too about their concerns and responded where possible including: Continue to fund the school crossings patrol service, keeping all-day concessionary travel for disabled people and providing funding transition for the community and voluntary sector.

“We successfully secured one-off funding from Government for highways and social care to help ease immediate pressures, but we have made it clear that a long-term national solution for funding care must be urgently addressed and we will continue to work with our MPs to press the Government on this.”