By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East Council says its request to increase council tax by up to 9.99% without a referendum does not commit it to raising it by that much.
The authority made a formal request to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on Friday to permit the council tax referendum limit to be raised by a further 5% – above the current maximum of 4.99% for 2025-2026.
Cheshire East Council has applied to the government for permission to increase council tax by up to 9.99% – without holding a referendum, writes Belinda Ryan.
Local authorities in receipt of exceptional financial support are able to make a formal request to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to increase their council tax above the usual referendum limits.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East Council chiefs are set to raise council tax by no more than 4.99% – and hope they won’t need to take up an option to increase it by more.
The government has indicated that local authorities, in exceptional circumstances, may be allowed to increase their council tax by more than the 4.99% capped limit.
Nantwich Town councillors were locked in a bitter row last night which ended with a vote to increase their Council Tax precept for 2025-26 by 7%.
One councillor accused his own authority of “being asleep at the wheel” and said an increase above inflation was unacceptable for the town’s residents.
Nantwich Town Council is proposing to raise its portion of Council Tax by 8% in 2025-26.
Councillors have agreed to put the plan out for public consultation until December 8.
Dear Editor,
Labour run Cheshire East are not short of money. Cheshire East is short of good management and common sense.
If the Council was managed properly there would be no need for the usual inflation busting Council Tax increases each year.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East councillors have approved a budget for the next financial year which includes mothballing three tips and increasing council tax by 4.99%.
The council voted by 43 to 32 in favour of the budget which brings in a raft of savings measures including emergency tip closures at Bollington, Middlewich and Poynton from April.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East looks set to rubber stamp a budget later this month which includes the expected 4.99% council tax hike and the emergency closure of three tips from April.
The corporate policy committee yesterday (Tuesday) voted by eight to five in favour of recommending the proposed 2024/25 budget to full council for approval.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire residents will have to pay 4.99% more in the police precept from April, adding an extra £12.50 to the annual bill for a band D property.
The £12.50 increase to the policing element of the Council Tax bill amounts to an extra £1.04 a month for a band D household.
Cash-strapped Cheshire East Council is proposing another 4.99% rise in Council Tax from April – as well as a range of other cost-cutting measures to existing services.
The authority has unveiled its financial plan for 2024/25, including increasing Council Tax by the maximum amount currently allowed.
Nantwich Town councillors have voted through a council tax precept rise of 3.5% for 2024-25 – half of the original planned 7% rise first debated in November.
But again the issue prompted at times a heated debate among councillors, with some Labour councillors calling for a zero rise and to find savings elsewhere.
A plan to increase the Nantwich Town Council portion of Council Tax by 7% in 2024-25 sparked a heated debate among town councillors.
The town council’s draft budget was put to the council last night at Brookfield Hall.
By Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter
Cheshire East Council would have to increase council tax by 20% just to cover the deficit in its special needs budget, the council leader has said.
Cllr Sam Corcoran (Lab) has called on all councillors to look into the SEND provision (special educational needs and disabilities) so they can debate the issue at the next meeting of full council and come up with suggestions as to how the system can be improved.
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