Council tax payers in Salford will be paying an average of £100 per year more after a near 5% rise was approved by councillors today (March 5).
The increase of 4.99% comes as Salford council faces budget cuts of up to £38m over the next two years.
The tax rise means residents in band D households will be paying £110.65 more per year while band C households will be paying £98.40 more.
The 4.99% includes a social care precept of 2%.
Salford Mayor Paul Dennett said the increase in council tax was needed to maintain services because of cuts in funding from central government.
The budget reaffirmed the council’s commitment to building 600 council houses over the next four years which Mayor Dennett described as a “life changing commitment” for many in the city.
The council also announced a raft of other policies such as the household support budget being cut from £5.4m to £2.7m after the government scrapped the grant to the council.
Mayor Dennett described the government’s decision as an “absolute disgrace.”
The Conservatives were very critical of the decision to raise council tax and presented amendments to the budget including a proposal to use the council’s allocated reserves in order to stop the council tax rise.
Leader of the Conservative group Robin Garrido said “the council are contributing to the cost of living crisis by raising council tax” and accused the Labour council of not using “common sense”
The opposition also pointed to the fact that the council’s budget does commit to spending money on projects such as the Buile Hill mansion refurbishment as well as giving a substantial £315,000 grant to Salford Red Devils while increasing council tax.
However, Labour and Mayor Dennett defended these commitments in the chamber saying it was important to support the local rugby league club and that the Buile Hill mansion refurb was a promise that the council is delivering on.
It was also part of the council’s commitment to growing the local economy and creating jobs for residents.
This proposal was described by Labour deputy mayor John Merry in his speech as “reckless and economically illiterate” and he criticised the Tories’ amendments to the budget which were voted down by Labour councillors.
You can watch the meeting in full here which included some lively debate amongst councillors regarding the details of the budget. https://salford.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/853046
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