Ashfield District Council approves tax freeze

The authority met in a full council meeting on Monday, March 3, to discuss the authority’s budget proposals for the 2025 to 2026 financial year.

Councillors voted to freeze council tax for the year, beginning April 2025.

It means district council tax rates will stay the same for all households in the area from next month.

Coun Rachel Madden (Ash Ind), the Executive Lead Member for Finance, Revenues and Benefits, presented the draft budget for the coming financial year.

She said: “Through prudential borrowing and thinking outside the box, we have not had to cut any services and will continue along the same lines through the next financial year.

“We are freezing council tax for 2025 to 26.

“Our residents and businesses are under a lot of pressure through things like Government slashing winter fuel payments, benefits being restricted or cut, food prices soaring, energy prices again higher than inflation.

“We are freezing council tax with no cuts to services, no redundancies.

“Ashfield did receive high praise for its financial position, and we intend to continue that level in the future.”

She added: “This is a robust budget that will ensure we can go on looking after our district and our residents the way we want to.

“All this, while freezing our council tax.”

Coun John Wilmott (Ash Ind) said: “Ashfield is one of the few councils in the whole of the UK to make the decision not to charge residents one penny extra for the year.

“And that makes me extremely proud.”

Ashfield District Council’s leader Coun Jason Zadrozny (Ash Ind), who seconded the recommendations, said in the meeting: “We’ve invested in parks, in leisure, in regeneration, in public services and job creation because we plan ahead.

“We’ve built, improved and we delivered because we actually know what we’re doing.”

Ashfield District Council is the only council in Nottinghamshire to freeze its portion of council tax this year.

This means the total annual cost for households in Band A will remain at £138.09 per year, while Band B will stay at £161.10.

Homes in Band C will pay a total of £184.12 per year, and Band D will stay at £207.13 per annum.

Final household council tax bills in Nottinghamshire will include portions for either the county or city council, plus a district or borough council, and contributions for the police and fire services. All these authorities are now setting rates for the year ahead.

The final total bills will be known later in March.