Plans for a near 5% Council Tax Increase for Hartlepool look set to be made in the new year..

Most recent council reports suggest a decision on whether to raise Council Tax by nearly 5% wont now be made until the new year, once the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement is made known to finance officials at the end of December...

2nd December 2024

Plans for a near 5% Council Tax increase are reported to have been put back until the new year, as the final Local Government Finance Settlement figures have reportedly still not yet been revealed, a source close to the local council told HBC Exposed late last week. .

Previous reports which have gone to council committees within the last few weeks have suggested household Council Tax bills should be increased by nearly 5% to tackle what the council claims is "increasing budget pressures" , with the local council, which in 2023 was declared an authority of no public confidence estimating that its projected three year budget overspending is likely to be somewhere between £10.0 & £13.0 million pounds, necessitating the need for council tax bills to be increased by their maximum year on year to stave off potential bankruptcy.

According to the latest council report, key factors impacting the budget include inflationary pressures, in-year budget forecasts, and the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement, which is reportedly not expected until the end of December 2024. These uncertainties are said to have pushed the council to delay finalizing its budget recommendations until January, raising concerns about the potential financial burden on already-struggling households.

The updated report continues to paint a bleak picture of the council’s financial position, with increasing costs continuing to strain resources. Inflation reportedly remains a significant issue, driving up expenses across all departments according to the council report, whilst funding allocations from central government are still said to remain unclear.

Currently, a Band D property in Hartlepool pays around £2300 a year in Council Tax (without any additional parish precepts), however proposals for a near 5% increase could see bills rocketing by over £100 a year, adding further financial strain to already overstretched households & Pilling the pressure on the ever increasing numbers of Hartlepool families reported to be living well below the poverty line, with Hartlepool Borough Council already acknowledging that the potential hike in Council Tax Bills as well as a number of proposed departmental service cuts are likely to have a detrimental impact on Children, Young Adults, the disabled & even care leavers.