COUNCIL TAX 21-22

A recommendation that Erewash Borough Council raises its share of council tax for 2021/22 by 2.61% - £5 per annum for a Band D property - is expected to be sent to the council’s budget setting meeting on 4th March. A meeting of Council Executive on Wednesday 24th February looks set to send a recommendation to next month’s Full Council that the proposed £5 increase would mean that the council’s charge for a Band D property would increase from £191.59 to £196.59 per annum. If agreed, that will mean an increase of 10p per week on the council’s charge for a Band D property. The council has worked hard to keep the proposed increase in its share of the Council Tax bill to a minimum despite the financial challenges that have faced all local authorities in recent years and the severe global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic over the last year. A report that is expected to go to full council on 4th March says that based on current assumptions, up to £1m of further savings may need to be found in 2022/23 to achieve a balanced budget - but that the council’s record in achieving savings over the last decade suggest that, with adequate planning, it is an achievable task. Councillor Wayne Major, Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Resources, says: “We are proud of our record of being a robust council that works hard to provide the best front-line services for our residents. We strive to find the best ways of meeting the continuing financial pressures and we know there are very tough challenges still ahead – but Erewash remains strong.” Only 11% of the total council tax bill that residents pay goes to the Borough Council. The rest is for services provided by Derbyshire County Council, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue and Parish Councils – Erewash has no control over the charges set by these organisations. The virtual meeting of Council Executive is at 10.30am on Wednesday 24th February. It will be live-streamed on YouTube via a link from the council’s committee pages at www.erewash.gov.uk