Rotherham: Council tax rises by 4.5% as budget set

Rotherham Council said demand for its services "continues to increase"

Rotherham residents will see a rise of 4.5% in their council tax bills for the year ahead.

The South Yorkshire authority has agreed to a 1.5% increase to the basic part of the bill, with a 3% boost for adult social care.

The Labour-controlled council said the increase would raise an extra £120m to pay for "valuable front-line services".

A Conservative amendment to freeze the tax rise was defeated and the budget passed.

Council leader Chris Read said adult social care was the "single biggest pressure" on the budget and the authority needed to raise about £100m to cover the cost of that.

That was a 25% increase since the 2015 budget, he said.

"If we are to avoid cutting other services, we need to do what the government tells councils to do, and increase the adult social care levy," he added.

Residents in a Band D property are to pay an extra £72.66 per year, with annual council tax bill of £1,687.24, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Emily Barley, Conservative leader, said a number of council departments had underspent in the previous financial year and that money should be used to stem any tax rise.

The amendment was voted down and the budget was passed with 32 votes for and 19 against.