TOWN Hall chiefs at Warrington will next week recommend a 4.98 per cent council tax increase – bringing the council tax on an average Band D property to £1,694.79.
But with parish councils across the borough levying their own precepts, the council tax on an average Band D property will be £2,056.24.
This includes the cost of Cheshire Police and the Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, which the council anticipates will both rise by 1.99 per cent.
The recommendations are contained in a report to be presented to the borough council’s cabinet on Monday, February 13, by Cllr Cathy Mitchell (pictured), deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for corporate finance.
Cllr Mitchell says: “Whilst on the surface, things may look like they have returned to near normal, we have continued to respond to dealing with the longer-term effects of the COVID pandemic on the demand for services, as well as the impact on residents of a cost of living crisis and reacting to the extreme budget pressures caused by Inflation at its highest point for over 40 years.
“This has again demonstrated how robust our existing budget strategy has been, with the council expecting to conclude the 2022-23 financial year in a relatively strong position, maintaining or increasing a robust level of reserves to mitigate further financial shocks and risks going forward.”
The report says that Warrington’s commercially led “Invest to Save” programme continues to be of interest to many. The borough has continued to ensure that its commercial activity meets local policy objectives and aims to ensure these are delivered at no additional costs to local taxpayers while providing surplus returns.
“However, there is a limit to haw far we can continue this approach. The recent rapid increases in borrowing costs, caused in part by the market response to the September mini-budget has meant that some capital investments have had to be put on hold, particularly as inflation is impacting on the cost of some schemes too.”
The report stresses that the budget includes £ £13.6 million of savings – following savings of £11.6m and £20.0 million in the previous two financial years. Future years forecasting indicates that £ 64.1 million of additional savings will need to be made over the next four years.
There is still a £6.6 million shortfall of savings for the coming years which the council intends to balance on a one-off basis through the use of reserves.
Council tax for an average Band D property for parishes across the borough are forecast to be:
Appleton: £1,729.88; Birchwood: £1,815.45; Burtonwood and Westbrook: £1,725.71; Croft: £1,773.35; Cuerdley: £1,694.79; Culcheth and Glazebury: £1,732.71; Grappenhall and Thelwall: £1752.48; Great Sankey: £1,741.51; Hatton: £1,728.20; Lymm: £1,748.45; Penketh: £1,772.17; Poulton-with-Fearnhead: £1,723.31; Rixton-with-Glazebrook: £1,727.88; Stockton Heath: £1.751.36; Stretton: £1,722.36; Walton: £1716.44; Winwick: £1,769.83; Woolston: £1,706.13; Warrington (unparished areas): £1,694.79.
