Hartlepool councillors call for council tax freeze but finance officers urge near 5% rise to balance budget

Hartlepool Borough Council finance officers had recommended a 4.99% rise as part of budget plans for 2024/25, in line with Government assumptions.

This included a 2.99% rise in core council tax, plus a 2% precept for adult social care services.

Officers explained it was linked to increasing children’s social care demands and inflationary pressures which left them with a £8.025million budget gap for 2024/25.

But at the latest meeting of the finance and policy committee, Conservative councillor Tom Cassidy said he was against the recommendations, and proposed a full council tax freeze.

He also proposed a “full” scrapping of councillor special responsibility allowances.

Council leader Councillor Mike Young added: “It becomes about fairness for everybody, and I think we’ve got residents out there, all of them, all already cash strapped to the hilt.”

However leading officers outlined how statutory robustness advice from their finance director was “very clear” in recommending a 4.99% council tax rise, stressing councillors must record their reasons if such advice is not followed.

It was therefore agreed to defer the report to a future meeting of the committee for further discussions.

James Magog, director of finance, IT and digital, said if a council tax increase was not agreed, additional savings would need to be found.

He added: “Local government is in a financial storm.

“In simple terms we need to protect our reserves position as far as possible given the budgetary challenges.”