Rotherham Council cabinet approves budget including 3% tax rise
The move is expected to generate an extra £4m a year
Last updated 11th Feb 2025
Rotherham Borough Council’s budget proposals for the upcoming financial year, which includes a three per cent increase in council tax, have been rubber-stamped by the authority’s cabinet.
The proposal would see a one per cent rise in the basic rate of council tax and an additional two per cent increase for the adult social care precept.
The increase would generate approximately £4 million, helping to support vital public services, particularly for vulnerable children and adults.
Under the new rates, the council tax for a Band D property would increase from £1,816.15 to £1,870.63, while Band A properties will see an increase from £1,210.76 to £1,247.09. The proposed increase will help meet rising demands on adult social care services, with £2.7 million allocated specifically for this area.
To address these challenges, the proposed budget includes a number of investments, including £17 million to support adult social care, £4.3 million to meet the demands of home to school transport, and £1.5 million for waste management. Additionally, £2.6 million in savings have been identified across the authority, aimed at improving service delivery efficiency, such as optimising waste collection routes and maximising grant funding in children’s services.
Other investments include £100,000 to improve worn road markings, £6m for bridge improvements to alleviate flooding in Catcliffe, £307 for litter clearance, verge maintenance, and street cleaning, and £4m to replace ageing bin lorries.
The council is proposing several initiatives to support vulnerable residents. The school uniform voucher scheme, which helps families struggling with uniform costs, will see an increase in funding, allowing the value of each voucher to rise from £35 to £70. This will benefit around 1,850 eligible pupils each year.
Additionally, the council is extending its temporary funding for pension credit advisory services, providing year-round support through Citizens Advice Rotherham and Age UK. This will cost £92,144 and help more residents access pension credits.
RMBC is investing £30,000 to bring Food Works, a successful food-based social enterprise, to Rotherham. This initiative will provide affordable food and learning opportunities on cooking, nutrition, and budgeting.
A £50,000 allocation will fund a new scheme offering free parking for the first hour in council-operated car parks in the town centre. This initiative is designed to support local businesses, increase footfall, and encourage residents to shop locally.
During yesterday’s (February 10) cabinet meeting, Councillor Chris Read, leader of the council, said: “This is a good set of proposals that delivers on the things that we said we would do for the people of Rotherham.
“We are now in a position where we’ve got something like £14m more resources than we would have expected to have had before the general election.
“It doesn’t, of course, mean that all our problems go away. We carry the weight of £200m worth of funding gap from the previous 14 years. ”
Councillor David Sheppard, cabinet member for social inclusion and neighbourhood working added: “We’re actuley aware that the cost of living crisis hasn’t gone away for many of our residents.
“We’re standing right behind those residents for some of the innovations that we’re making here.”
The budget proposals were approved by cabinet on Monday, February 10, with final approval by full council on Wednesday, March 5.