Council tax rise of 4.99% approved for York

Council tax in York will rise by nearly 5 per cent after the local authority agreed its budget.

It increases the council tax bill for a band D home by £69, to £1,452.36.

The rise of 4.99 per cent is the maximum allowed without the need for a referendum to be called.

City of York Council will also need to make almost £8 million of savings to balance the books.

Senior councillors said money will be invested in frontline services and major projects such as York Central and the Castle Gateway scheme.

But councillors from other political groups voiced fears about where cuts will fall.

Cllr Pete Kilbane asked how many jobs could be at risk at the local authority as a result of the savings.

Cllr Bob Webb said:

“We know the administration are going to cut £169,000 from the learning and work advisory team in children’s services for example. This being a service that supports young people to find employment and essentially sets them up on the right path for life.

“We know that the administration are going to cut £150,000 from the early help service.

“We know that the administration is cutting £395,000 from the education and skills service. By comparison, the spending column in children’s services is pretty sparse on detail.”

“If we don’t invest in families when they are in need of that intervention, a position lots of families will find themselves in right now, it costs us more down the line.”

Cllr Martin Rowley raised concerns about the cost of cremations, which did not increase last year as planned due to the pandemic but is now due to rise to £920. He said: “Last year the leader of the council acknowledged the need for us to look at funeral poverty and I was really encouraged by his response.

“Most families can pay the cremation fee, but there are families who can’t. I urge the leader to look again at a means-tested hardship fund, where hard-pressed families can go for help with the cremation costs.”

The council is also planning to save £72,000 through a review of staffing at the Mansion House, which worried councillors Fiona Fitzpatrick and John Galvin.

Cllr Fitzpatrick said:

“I have very real concerns about securing the future of the house and its unique collection. I’m not persuaded the proposed savings and the removal of jobs are giving the Mansion House the support and investment it needs.”

Cllr Galvin said:

“I fully accept that in the circumstance we find ourselves it may appear to be a very minor issue. But it impacts on the civic history of the city. Can I be assured that the management and the maintenance of the house will be up to a high standard going forward?”

But Cllr Denise Craghill said the budget is a “very coherent programme that protects a lot of areas in the budget and brings improvements for the future”.

She said: “Contrary to some of the very misleading points from Labour, I am very proud to support this budget.”

Cllr Andrew Waller added that the budget includes a Covid recovery fund which will be “key to helping the city recover”.

He said there is money for skills and retraining, to “ensure there is not a lost generation of young people,” adding: “We will support businesses and protect jobs with this budget.”

Council leader Keith Aspden said he would be happy to work with councillors on concerns over cremation services and the Mansion House. He said: “This budget comes at an unprecedented time, we have therefore had to make reductions we would rather not make.”

He said the council is putting an extra £2.6 million into adult social care and for children and young people and creating a £3.5 million Covid recovery fund, among other investments.