Ollerton and Rainworth residents face council tax rise after authority budget approved

Newark & Sherwood District Council proposed a 1.94 per cent increase in council tax in the coming financial year, equating to £3.53 for Band D properties.

However, the Conservative-led authority says about three-quarters of homes across the district fall into bands A to C, meaning the increase for residents in these bands will be less than £3.53 per year.

Councillors unanimously approved the budget at the latest full council meeting.

Coun David Lloyd, Conservative council leader, said: “This is a budget that will sustain the excellent services we deliver to the standards expected and, very evidently therefore, at value for money.

“This is a budget that will build on the post-pandemic work and take our economies further still to sustainable growth.

“This is a budget with an eye to the current forecast difficulties, not only for our own financing but the impacts that will be felt within our communities.

“This is a budget which, while driven and led by Conservatives, is I hope cross-party once more.”

‘Excellent value’

Coun Paul Peacock said the Labour group supported the budget.

He said: “Amid all the other costs families will bear, our increase small increase to their burden is, at least, excellent value.

“We support the budget as it’s aligned with our medium-term financial plan, which clearly indicates difficult times ahead for the council.”

However, he hit out at Conservative-led Nottinghamshire Council’s 4 per cent rise, alongside Caroline Henry, Nottinghamshire’s Conservative police and crime commissioner, putting up her precept by £10 for a band D property.

Coun Peacock said: “When our residents open their council tax bills and see the massive increase for this year, they will wonder why the roads are still in a terrible condition, why their child could not be placed in any of the secondary schools they preferred, or why they never see a police officer.

“Let’s get the message across that Newark & Sherwood Council gives excellent value to its residents and that we will strive to keep our bills as low as possible.”

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