Households in Oxfordshire face 5% council tax rise

Oxfordshire County Council is run by a coalition of Liberal Democrats, Labour and Greens

Households in Oxfordshire are facing a 4.99% council tax rise.

The increase by the county council will add about £82 a year to a Band D property and was agreed as part of its budget for the next year.

The authority - run by a Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green coalition - said the move was needed to protect services for vulnerable residents.

The Conservative opposition voted against the budget and said it had wanted to lessen the tax burden.

Millions are facing the same level of council tax rise across the country, with the near-5% increase being the maximum allowed without a local vote.

Council Leader Liz Leffman, a Liberal Democrat, said: "[We] appreciate that any increase at this tough time for households will be hard.

"At the same time, we know that not funding vital services would have a huge negative impact on some of our most vulnerable residents."

The authority has also set aside £2.3m for the Council Tax Support Scheme to help low income households with the impact of the rise.

Last year, there was also a 4.99% council tax rise, and for 2021-22 a 2.99% increase which, at the time, was also the maximum allowed without a referendum.

A need to make £30m of savings was identified by the council for the 2023-24 financial year.

The budget includes a £13.1m investment for children's social care and special education needs and disabilities provision, as well as £2.2 million for community transport.

'Tax burden'

Some Conservative councillors criticised the cost of an advertising campaign for 20mph limits being introduced in villages across the county, as well as a reduction in the Spare Seats scheme for children not eligible for free home to school transport.

The party proposed an alternative budget, including making county council-run park and ride facilities free and increasing the council's home to school transport budget.

Conservative leader Eddie Reeves said: "As expected, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green councillors voted against our balanced package of measures to lessen the tax burden on families and invest more money in vital SEND services and school buses.

"However, we hope that they will now extend a hand to us so that we can work together to ensure that the most vulnerable members of our communities really benefit from the £2.3 million cost of living budget measure on which there was strong cross-party consensus."