Wealden considers increasing its share of council tax bill

On Wednesday (January 19), Wealden District Council’s audit, finance and governance committee discussed some proposals being considered for inclusion in the authority’s 2022/23 budget.

The proposals will go out for consultation, the results of which will be considered by cabinet before it puts its budget recommendations to a full council vote next month.

The headline proposal is plans to increase the authority’s share of council tax by 2.53 per cent after a freeze last year. If agreed, the rise would see a Band D household pay £5 more per year on that part of their bill.

Also being considered are proposals to increase both staff pay and councillor allowances, both of which were also frozen last year.

Speaking at the meeting, Conservative council leader Bob Standley said: “Last year we froze council tax and we want to keep council tax as low as possible, but there are pressures. 

“At the joint waste meeting last Friday we were expecting a five per cent hike in the cost of waste collection from April 1st. That figure is actually almost identical to the total we will raise in [additional] council tax. That is around £300,000 extra and we will raise something like £300,000.

“Within this report there is also a 2.5 per cent [proposed pay] increase to our staff, who didn’t get an increase last year.

“There are those pressures on the system, but as I keep saying we are kind of well placed.”

Other proposals include plans to increase the hourly rate for staff earning the national living wage to £9.50 per hour rate effective from 1 April 2022, in line with national guidelines.

Council housing rents are also proposed to increase (by consumer price index plus one per cent) in line with government policy.