Proposal for increases in fees and charges to be discussed

Two councils are proposing an increase in fees and charges ahead of next year’s budget.

Members of both Mid Suffolk and Babergh cabinets are due to discuss proposals for the increase of next year’s fees and charges during their respective meetings on Tuesday next week, November 5.

Although both authorities are proposing increases across the board, the numbers show a different state of affairs for their finances.

On Babergh’s side, a predicted £1 million deficit for February, added to an already identified £6.7 million gap, means steeper increases are needed.

The income from the proposed fees and charges for the next financial year would increase by £1.42 million, or just over 37 per cent.

Cllr John Ward, who is in charge of the Babergh’s finances, said the increases would mean the council could recover the cost of some of the services it provides.

He added: “Everything we do is designed to achieve a balanced budget, not just for the next financial year but looking beyond that.

“If we didn’t charge for some of these services, we would need to consider whether we needed to provide them.

“These are all services people need and value, the last thing we want to do is to cut them.”

In Mid Suffolk, due to the healthy state of the council’s finances, with a forecast surplus of £6.3 million by February, the authority is proposing shallower increases, following inflation where possible.

In total, the income increase from Mid Suffolk’s proposals would only be £467,000, or 9.7 per cent.

A certain degree of increases to fees and charges are usually expected before councils put forward their budget proposals, with authorities across the county expected to release their own plans over the next weeks and months.