District Council Approves Council Tax Rise

Harborough District Council has approved a rise in its share of Council tax.

The charge will increase by £5 a year to £172.96 for the average Band D property, a increase of 2.98% per cent, the maximum permitted by government.

Increasing costs and reduced income, as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, and a reduction in cash from government, has left the Council with a funding gap of around £4m over the next year.

The Council’s budget was approved at a meeting last night, with the Conservative-led administration saying increasing Council Tax and putting charges for car parking and its green bin collection service, will help deal with the situation, as well as using some of its Reserves.

Leader Phil King told Hfm, despite the financial situation, they are still able to invest in services, including CCTV, disabled facilities grants, housing and homelessness schemes, leisure, open spaces and play areas.

Opposition Liberal Democrat councillors voted against the budget plan over concerns they had with parts of it.

Other parts of residents’ Council Tax bills are also going up from April – Leicestershire County Council agreed a rise in what it charges last week and the Police’s portion is also set to increase.