Council tax payers could face rise of nearly 5%

The proposed 4.99% rise is the maximum amount councils can set without a referendum

Council tax in Bradford could rise by just under 5% in April, just a year after the district's residents were hit with an almost 10% increase.

Councillors are due to consider a price hike of 4.99% for the 2026-27 financial year, which is the maximum it can go up without a referendum being held.

If approved, residents could also see a 6% increase in fees for council services ranging from leisure charges to the cost of submitting a licensing application.

Last year, Bradford Council was awarded "exceptional financial support" by the government, allowing it to prop up its finances through borrowing and by selling off assets, and it still needs to make savings of over £60m next year.

Confirming to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that next year's rise was expected to be 4.99%, consisting of a 2.99% council tax rise and a 2% social care surcharge, council leader Susan Hinchliffe said of last year's hike: "I said it was a one-off and it will be a one-off."

"We won't be doing that again, that was a commitment I gave last year and we're sticking to that," she stated.

Hinchliffe added that the most recent financial figures showed the authority was making "good progress" in moving its finances away from the brink.

Leader Susan Hinchcliffe said Bradford Council was making good progress

According to finance papers to be seen by the council's executive next week, the half-year budget for 2025-26 included a projected underspend of £10.2m.

Despite this, the authority would still need to borrow to avoid bankruptcy.

The documents also showed that the council planned to make £15.8m of savings next year through "improved financial management and performance".

Meanwhile, there were plans to make £20m worth of "efficiency improvements" within the Children and Families Trust, which included "better practice, less reliance on agency staff and greater consistency".

Hinchcliffe said the underspend - and an expected government funding settlement for councils that will be announced before the end of the year - would mean Bradford would need to borrow less than was initially anticipated.

However, the borrowing is likely to be needed for the near future - and the cost of paying off interest will likely remain a huge burden on future budgets.

'Plan is working'

Referring to the planned £60m of cuts, Hinchliffe said: "There are no major cuts that people will recognise in their communities.

"It is more about making sure the council is more efficient and productive," she explained.

"We have a seven-year plan to secure Bradford Council's financial future, and this latest report shows that plan is working.

"There's still a lot to do, but the direction of travel is positive and steady."

The executive is due to consider the proposals at its meeting on Tuesday 4 November.

If agreed, a public consultation will follow, allowing residents and organisations to comment on the plans.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.