Norfolk people face extra £56 a year on County Hall council tax bills
A 3.99pc increase in council tax paid to Norfolk County Council has moved nearer. - Credit: Copyright: Archant 2012
A council tax increase which would add more than £50 a year to bills paid to Norfolk County Council has moved a significant step nearer.
Conservative-controlled Norfolk County Council's cabinet agreed on Monday to recommend a 3.99pc increase in its council tax share to a full council meeting later this month.
With government funding down £92.8m since 2015, the council's budget for 2021/22 includes £41.2m of savings - more than £20m of which are new.
Savings mooted include £18m from adult social care and £11.3m from children's services.
Much of the savings are to be made by changing the way services are provided.
The budget proposes a 1.99pc increase in council tax which goes to County Hall and a 2pc precept ring-fenced for adult social care.
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The 3.99pc figure is based on a Band D property and would mean the annual amount people in such a property would go up by £56.43 to £1,472.94.
Andrew Proctor, leader of Norfolk County Council. Picture: NCC - Credit: Norfolk County Council
Council leader Andrew Proctor said: "The backdrop for setting a balanced budget is totally different to previous years.
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"Yes, we have the usual constraints about how local government is funded and, at the moment, we seem to be lurching from one year to the next year with a one year settlement.
"To be frank, that is just not good enough."
Mr Proctor said the way local government was funded meant authorities were being "effectively pushed to increase council tax" and that was reform was needed.
He said the council was lobbying for that to happen. He said: "We have been playing our part for some considerable time."
Andrew Jamieson, cabinet member for finance at Norfolk County Council. Pic: Norfolk County Council. - Credit: Norfolk County Council
Andrew Jamieson, cabinet member for finance, said, in the consultation, just over 50pc backed the 1.99pc council tax increase.
He said "the majority" supported the 2pc adult social care precept - a 2pc increase on the entire council tax paid to County Hall last year, rather than a 2pc increase on the adult social care element.
But he said the government needs to find a long-term fix over adult social care funding.
The council also proposes to invest £102m in capital schemes, including money to refurbish libraries in King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth, £11.5m for supported housing for young adults and £4m for children’s residential homes.
