A PROPOSAL to increase council tax in Warrington by 4.98 per cent has ‘not been taken lightly’, insists a cabinet member.

The 2024-25 medium-term financial plan, draft revenue budget and capital programme came before the cabinet at its Town Hall meeting on Monday.

A report to cabinet stated that the ‘currently required budget’ for 2024-25 totals £194.292 million, which includes £15.9 million of savings.

In 2023-24, council tax in Warrington increased by 4.98 per cent.

It is proposed that council tax is increased by 4.98 per cent in 2024-25 – which includes an adult social care precept of two per cent.

Cllr Denis Matthews, cabinet member for corporate finance, says a ‘sustainable long-term funding settlement’ is required to provide all councils with the ‘certainty that they need to protect the essential services that residents deserve’.

He said: “The people of Warrington rightfully expect its council to be there for them when needed and to deliver the services upon which we all rely.

“Cuts to local services are not the solution to plug the gaps left by this Conservative Government in the funding settlement.

“This is exactly why the Labour administration has taken a long-term approach to invest in various commercial assets to generate a net return of around £23 million per year to help assist in us continuing to deliver for Warrington.”

Cllr Matthews said the proposal to increase the precept by 4.98 per cent ‘has not been taken lightly’, adding that the people of Warrington ‘deserve a long-term funding settlement from the Conservative Government to reduce reliance on council tax increases’.

The proposals would see an average Band D property pay £1,779.19 of Warrington Borough Council tax.

But the report stated, after taking into account the council tax requirement of the borough council, the police precept for Cheshire, and the fire precept for Cheshire, there would be a total cost of £2,123.84 for an average Band D property, in an area without a parish council. This is based on the borough council’s forecasts for the increases in the police and fire precepts.

Meanwhile, it stated that the average Band D property, in an area with a parish council, would see the cost total £2,162.72.

As recommended, the cabinet proposed the council tax increase and the budget proposals.

The proposals will need to be approved at the full council meeting on February 26.