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10
Feb 2022
Harrogate council approves council tax hike
A 1.99% council tax rise has been approved by Harrogate Borough Council as part of its final budget before the authority is swallowed up into a new North Yorkshire Council.
The increase equates to an extra £5 per year for average Band D households and will come into force from April.
It was approved at a full council meeting last night which marked the last time that the Conservative-run council will set its own budget before it is scrapped and replaced with a unitary authority covering the whole of North Yorkshire from April 2023.
The county’s other six district councils will also be scrapped, as well as North Yorkshire County Council which has proposed a 3.99% council tax rise for Harrogate district residents in its final budget.
There are further tax rises expected from police and services which if all approved could see council tax bills for average Band D households rise to a total of £2,079.
This comes at a time when families are facing a cost of living crisis and opposition councillors have warned many will have to choose between heating and eating to cover their bills.
'Residents will be faced with eat or heat choice'
Cllr Pat Marsh, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrat group on Harrogate Borough Council, told last night’s meeting that the authority should be using more of its cash reserves to ease the pressure on residents.
She said:
Cllr Pauline McHardy, leader of the Ripon Independents group, also said she would have supported no increase in council tax and described the 1.99% rise as “another blow to the community”.
Read more:
- Chief constable says maximum council tax rise will enable crime prevention
- Harrogate council staff still working from home – despite change of guidance
Cllr Graham Swift, deputy leader of the council, responded to say that not increasing council tax would be “nonsense” as the authority is also facing increasing costs and has to keep services running and its staff paid.
He also argued that no alternative budget proposals were put forward by the opposition parties and that the council’s cash reserves had been earmarked for projects.
Cllr Swift said:
'Proud of the council's work'
Cllr Swift added:
The 1.99% rise will increase Harrogate Borough Council’s tax bills for the average Band D property up to £255.92.
The council makes up just under 13% of bills, while North Yorkshire County Council makes up 70% and police and fire services the remainder.
Parish and town councils also charge a small levy.
All 24 Conservative councillors present at last night’s Harrogate Borough Council meeting voted in favour of the 1.99% rise, while seven Liberal Democrats abstained and two Ripon Independents voted against.
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