Swindon families facing rise in council tax, policing precept and national insurance
It looks like 2022 will a tough year for many households
FAMILIES in Swindon will continue to be hit by rising living costs, with the news that council tax is set to increase by nine per cent over the next three years.
It will be introduced alongside a planned 1.25 per cent hike to National Insurance in April.
The council tax will increase by 2.99 per cent each year for the next three years.
The council has also announced it needs to save more than £42.5 million over the same period.
1.99 per cent of this is for the basic amount of council tax, and one per cent is a specific adult social care precept.
Adult social care is an area that the council says has come under “increased pressure” over the last couple of years and, along with childrens’ services, represents 80 per cent of the overall council budget.
A 2.99 per cent total increase would put the average Council Tax bill up by £3.72 per month, excluding precepts from other bodies such as the Police and Crime Commissioner.
This adds up to around £45 a year.
The council’s total budget for 2022/23 is set at £156.688 million.
In order to balance the books, the council is also looking to save £23.4 million over the next financial year.
In 2022/23, this figure will drop to £11million, and in 2023/2024, £8.1 million.
The proposals will go before Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet next Wednesday (February 2), and will then be the subject of a council vote.
The plans were published in the Local Government Finance Settlement last month, which is is the annual determination of funding to local government.
'Not the right time to burden people with bigger bills'
In its report to Cabinet, the council has said: “The settlement only covers one year, as the Government plans to undertake a review of the basis for distributing funding between local authorities during 2022. As a result, the Council’s funding position remains uncertain for 2023/24 onwards.”
“Now is simply not the right time to burden people with bigger bills, especially from a Conservative-run Swindon Council who can’t demonstrate any value for money for Swindon taxpayers.”
'We’ve had to make some really difficult decisions'
Wiltshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) wants to raise the policing precept by £10 per year.
The proposed increase put forward by PCC Philip Wilkinson is a 4.3 per cent raise in the amount Band D households pay for policing within their council tax bill – this hike equates to 83p per month.
The £10 rise is the maximum the PCC can ask for, without calling a public referendum.
Wiltshire Council is also proposing a 2.99 per cent increase in council tax.
Just like Swindon, 1.99 per cent will be for council tax, and a one per cent rise to be spent solely on adult social care.
Coun Richard Clewer, Leader of Wiltshire Council, said: “This continues to be an extraordinary time to plan for a balanced budget. The Government has provided us with funding during the pandemic to help mitigate some of the huge challenges we have faced, however it has still not been enough to close the gap completely.
“We’ve had to make some really difficult decisions in putting together our proposals, but we need to do what is right for the long-term so that we continue to have a strong foundation going forward, as the next few years will only bring more challenges.”