Councillors have agreed to increase the council’s part of the council tax charge in the East Riding by 3.49% for the 2021/22 financial year.
At a Full Council meeting on Thursday, 11 February, councillors voted against the proposed 4.99% increase, which had been allowed by the Government without having to hold a referendum, but for the lower figure which will raise £4.9million of additional income for the council and will result in an increase of £52.43 a year for a Band D property.
The increase will be broken down into a 1.49% for council services generally and 2% going towards the growing cost of adult social care.
On top of the council’s charge, there will be additional charges from Humberside Police, Humberside Fire and Rescue Service as well as town/parish councils which are determined separately.
Alongside the increase in council tax, the council still needs to make savings of £10.6m from its 2021/22 budget not only to meet the growing costs of delivering its services but also to absorb the financial impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on its finances.
Unveiling the financial plans for 2021/22, which also include a £19million pandemic recovery and support package, Councillor Richard Burton, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “In setting the council’s budget for the forthcoming year, our aim has been to achieve a council tax increase that will be seen as a fair and sensible compromise.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has sent shockwaves through our local economy. Businesses have suffered greatly, people are losing their jobs and family incomes are being hit so we were determined to offer a budget based on protection for lower-income families, growth for stimulating our local economy and ambition for creating opportunities for a brighter, stronger East Riding.
“We are determined to provide much-needed support for those worst hit while enabling the council to continue to deliver its 600 or so services.
“All this enables us to focus on what really matters, looking after the elderly, providing essential children’s services, operating a first-class refuse collection service, maintaining our roads, supporting local transport and rolling out our capital programme.”
