{"id":47126,"date":"2023-02-16T13:55:05","date_gmt":"2023-02-16T13:55:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shefnews.co.uk\/?p=47126"},"modified":"2023-02-16T13:55:05","modified_gmt":"2023-02-16T13:55:05","slug":"residents-concerns-sheffield-city-council-set-to-raise-council-tax","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shefnews.co.uk\/index.php\/2023\/02\/16\/residents-concerns-sheffield-city-council-set-to-raise-council-tax\/","title":{"rendered":"Residents react to Sheffield City Council plan to raise council tax by 4.99%"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Residents have voiced concerns over the council\u2019s decision to raise council tax by 4.99% following the Chancellor\u2019s Autumn Statement.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2023\/24 financial year may have just got more difficult for the average household in Sheffield, with Sheffield City Council looking to raise council tax by 4.99%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This follows the Chancellor\u2019s Autumn Statement last year, which gave local councils the ability to increase council tax by 5%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the last 10 years, council tax in Sheffield has increased by 37.9%, taking a Band D property bill from \u00a31,489.07 to 2,053.83.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Strategy and Resources Policy Committee has said that most households would likely see their council tax bills rise by \u00a31.12 per week under the plans, which would generate about \u00a35m in funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a consensus of negativity towards the proposed hike in council tax from residents, with there being a feeling of distrust between residents and the council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mark Skipton, 33, from Nether Edge said: \u201cI mean I knew it would be the case as soon as they [government] said they [local councils] could do more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOn one hand I get it because why wouldn\u2019t they [increase it], but on the other hand they\u2019ve really got to remember all of us too\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For others, however, there is a sense of fear about the future, as felt by first-time homeowner Kirsty Hall of Walkley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 29-year-old said: \u201cI\u2019ve just recently moved into my house with my partner, we\u2019ve got a baby, it\u2019s definitely scary to hear that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Councillor Bryan Lodge has stated that government funding for Sheffield has been reduced by \u00a3211 million over the years, which is about \u00a3828 per household.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This has led to the council to believe that they have been forced into this \u201cdifficult choice\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sheffield City Council is not alone in their decision to increase council tax by the maximum 4.99%, as three-quarters of English councils that have social care duties have planned the maximum increase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although, council tax has steadily increased over the last decade, the council has always managed to find savings, with \u00a348 million already being identified in the 2023\/24 budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tony Kirkham, interim director of finance and commercial services said that if the council did not act now, they would become \u201cfinancially unsound\u201d from 2024 onwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, the council has said the alternative to this would have been additional spending cuts, and they would have had \u201ctoo great an impact on the city\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The councillors will consider the draft budget proposals on 21 February, and the full council will vote on the final budget on 1 March.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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