West Norfolk Council reveals possible £5 council tax rise for Band D properties as cabinet prepares to meet

West Norfolk households could pay up to more than £5 extra in council tax this year if budget proposals go ahead.

The borough council's cabinet is meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) to consider its financial plans for the 2023/24 period - including its council tax bill.

It suggests that due to "considerable current pressures including the impact of inflation, energy/fuel costs and uncertainty in long term government funding", some costs will have to be passed onto residents.

This could see the borough's portion of the council tax bill increased by £5 throughout the year on an average Band D Property.

The increase on lower banded properties will be less than this amount, the council says.

Many properties in the borough are below Band D and will therefore pay less. Residents entitled to certain discounts, such as single person's discount or student discount, will also pay less.

The Band D increase equates to a proposed rise of just under 9p per week - a lower-than-inflation increase of 3.2%.

If agreed by cabinet, this would mean the entire council tax bill for a band D property would be £143.87 per year for 2023-2024.

Much of that amount is passed onto internal drainage boards in the area, who make a levy on the council.

In 2023/2024 this levy will amount to £61.29 per the average band D property.

This level of council tax requirement would keep the borough council in the bottom 20% of district charging authorities in the country.

Cllr Angie Dickinson, cabinet member for finance, said: "We have seen inflation and rising costs this year, the likes of which have not been experienced in many residents' living memory.

"Our task has been to balance our need to support those in difficulty, maintain or improve the services on which we all rely such as refuse collection and leisure facilities, and which make West Norfolk a great place to live.

"We also want to ensure we have the funds to deliver our ambitious programme of investment, support to businesses and growth, while not pushing the pressure that the council is experiencing onto our residents. This proposed budget achieves just that."

If the recommendations being made to cabinet are agreed, the reports will be presented to the full council for consideration on February 23.

The fourth year of the council budget has highlighted a £5million deficit. Councillors say that plans are in place to address this over the next three years with a "thorough review of existing activities to identify further cost reductions or ways to increase income, while note making cuts to the services provided".

The council is also working on schemes that it believes will "support economic growth in the area that will create jobs and investment", and is also looking to invest in initiatives that create new income streams to alleviate the pressure on council finances.