Rotherham council tax rise of 3.5% is prudent choice, says leader

Rotherham Council said financial pressures were out of its control

Council tax bills in Rotherham could rise by 3.5% from April in a bid to protect "front-line services", a report has suggested.

A 1.5% hike in basic council tax and an additional 2% earmarked for adult social care are both proposed in the authority's budget report for 2024-25.

If approved by councillors, the owner of a band D property would need to pay an additional £61.42 a year.

Council leader Chris Read said the authority must make "prudent choices".

The Rotherham Council budget report stated the proposed increase would "help to support the delivery of valuable front-line services, particularly services for vulnerable children and adults at a time when demand for these services continues to increase".

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the report added that the financial pressures faced by the authority to pay for adult social care were "significant" and "out of the council's control" due to rising demand, staff shortages and the complex needs of residents and an ageing population.

'Responsible decisions'

The council intended to provide an additional £7.5m for adult social service funding in 2024-25, the report stated.

It would use £2.3m of its £62.6m reserves to fund a £6m budget gap, with the rest coming from increases in fees and charges for services it provided.

Mr Read said the council had to make "responsible decisions".

"Because of the difficult choices we have made over the last few years, we are able to bring forward budget proposals that put the needs of Rotherham's families first," he said.

Mr Read said too many children were "going without", and too many parents were "struggling to make ends meet".

"So we are stepping up our efforts to support them, with more money for children's centres and youth work, as well as improving free activities open to everyone," he said.

"By continuing to make prudent choices we can continue to support residents with social care needs and to invest in the future of our borough."

The council's budget proposals are due to be considered by the cabinet on 12 February, with a final decision expected to be taken by the full council on 28 February.