Blackburn with Darwen Council may increase council tax by 4.99% to boost funding for essential services. Meeting tonight.
The tax could go up 4.99 percent, giving the council £68 million extra in 2025/26. A 2.99 percent increase is for general needs, while two percent more aids adult social care.
Councils that handle social care can raise taxes by up to 4.99 percent yearly without a local vote. Government grants count on councils raising taxes fully.
Council tax amounts rely on property value, with higher-value homes paying more. Bands use a property’s price from 1991 in England and Scotland.
Cllr Vicky McGurk will suggest a tax increase, proposing a 2.99 percent rise per week for general tax. This equals £1.08 for Band D and £0.72 for Band A. Also, she suggests a 2 percent rise for adult care costs.
The Blackburn with Darwen Council offers various services, including education, roads, social care, and services for children.
The proposal raises a typical Band D home’s tax to £1,964.93 yearly to the borough. Police costs add £14 yearly, and the fire service adds £5 each year.
The total for Band D is £2,332.06, which does not cover town council costs. Cllr Desai knows a rise hurts households.
However, a 4.99 percent rise might be acceptable due to money needs and public services, amounting to about 25p extra each day. Cllr Slater called the rise a scandal. He said the council is raising tax a lot because no elections occur this year, and he thinks the council works poorly.