Nottingham City Council is set to keep an increase in Council Tax from April in line with the Government’s national cap of 4.99%, the authority’s Leader has announced today.
Up until now, the Council has not been able to rule out an increase in Council Tax by 10%, due to its challenging financial situation.
However, an Improvement Plan which is putting in place a series of changes to the way services are delivered, including large-scale transformation, and an improving financial position, in part due to a better-than-expected financial settlement from the new Labour Government means the Council is looking to limit the increase to 4.99%. This is made up of a 2.99% General Fund increase and a 2% Adult Social Care Precept.
The Council’s Executive Board will meet on 11 February to make a recommendation on the Council Tax increase as part of the authority’s Budget to go forward for final approval at a meeting of the Full Council on 3 March.
Councillor Neghat Khan, who was elected leader of the Council in May 2024 and Chief Executive, Sajeeda Rose, appointed in August 2024, have overseen a series of changes and improvements, including a firmer grip on finances following key changes to the Corporate Leadership Team, with the overall budget gap over the next four years reducing from £172m to £56m.
Councillor Khan said: “We remain absolutely committed to delivering major improvements right across the Council and getting our house in order. This means making fundamental changes to how we deliver services and putting the Council on a solid financial footing for the future. Being able to move away from a 10% increase to an increase of 4.99%, in line with the Government-set cap, is a clear signal that although we are not out of the woods, we are on the path to financial sustainability.”
“New savings and transformational changes are to be delivered over the next four years to ensure that the Council continues to operate within a sustainable funding model, but the improving financial position has meant we are able to avoid increasing Council Tax in excess of the cap and continue our plan to become a renewed Council that delivers for local people and leads Nottingham forward.”
• Arrest after police called to Nottingham shopping arcade
• SEND provision in Nottinghamshire a ‘priority’ says Cabinet Member Ben Bradley
