Herefordshire's council tax could rise by 4.99%

Herefordshire Council has published a draft revenue budget for 2024/25, which totals £207.7m

Herefordshire Council's share of council tax could rise by 4.99% from April, under draft budget plans.

The local authority faces more than £40m of funding pressures for 2024/25.

The increase - an extra £89 for a Band D property - has been set out in the minority Conservative administration's draft budget for the next financial year.

Senior councillors will discuss the plan, along with a further £19.5m of savings, at a cabinet meeting on Thursday 25 January.

The local authority's draft budget papers detail how a combination of increased social care demand, inflation and wage increases mean the council faces £43.3m of budget pressures next year.

The single largest strain on the council's finances is in its Children's Services department, which is currently undergoing an improvement programme after being rated inadequate by OFSTED in 2022.

A reliance on expensive agency staff, a shortage of local residential placements, and growing demand in Special Educational Needs and Home to School Transport services means the department is on track to overspend by £11.8m this year.

Jonathan Lester became leader of a minority Conservative administration on Herefordshire Council in May 2023

Without an overall majority on the council, the minority Conservative administration requires support from other parties to pass the financial measures.

A vote has been scheduled for Friday 9 February.