Hartlepool Borough Council tax payers face near 5 per cent rise in bills from April

Hartlepool Borough Council chiefs have warned increasing children’s social care demands and high inflationary pressures have left them with a £8.025million budget gap for 2024-25.

Reports from officers add the sum has “increased significantly throughout the budget setting process”.

This is “predominantly due to the acceleration and increasing of children’s social care resources and an increased forecast council pay award pressure linked to national living wage announcements”.

Government assumptions, as part of national funding updates, are that councils will raise bills by just under 5% in line with referendum limits, which includes a 2.99% rise in core council tax plus a 2% precept for adult social care services.

A report going before the finance and policy committee on Monday, which will then go to full council in February for final approval, asks councillors to back the tax rise.

It said: “The significant budget gap for 2024-25 and also over the medium term period clearly demonstrates the need to utilise the full council tax increase allowable of 4.99% for 2024/25, and this is proposed.”

The increase would provide £2.478million of recurring funding for the council.

Councillors will also be asked to back £1.792million of savings proposals, which include ceasing delivery of local welfare support funding.

This would leave the council with a £3.755million gap and the committee will be asked to support using reserves to balance the budget.

Reports from finance chiefs warn similar pressures are set to remain in future years.