Extra £3 million into adult care as council tax increases by 3.8%

Herefordshire Council is to levy the smallest increase in council tax since it came into existence in 1998 – despite it receiving 20 per cent less in government funding than other similar unitary councils.

There was unanimous support for an increase of just 3.8 per cent when the council met in Hereford’s Shirehall on, Friday, March 9.

The increase, which brings the band D council tax levy to £1,083.46, means an average increase of just 76p per week.

“We’re acutely aware that many of our residents are on low and fixed incomes, so we’ve managed to peg the increase to just 3.8 per cent without having to cut any services, which a number of councils are having to,” said Cllr Roger Philips, Leader of the Council.

“Along with £4 million of efficiency savings, this increase allows us to plough an extra £3 million into adult social care for older people services and for adults with learning difficulties.”

Because of the rocketing increase in the number of older people in the county, within four years, it is estimated that there will be an extra 700 case of dementia within Herefordshire.

Cllr Phillips told Council that the authority’s three-year financial plan was the bedrock which gives its finances a stable foundation.

“However,” he warned, “there are lean times ahead due to the increasing costs of social care and the demographics of the county.

“We’ve also got the outcome of the Lyons report, which looks at the fundamentals of how local government is financed.”

Council also heard that the authority’s Herefordshire Connects project is likely to save around £11.5 million over the next three years while improving access to council services.