Council tax rise of almost 2% recommended for Stockton residents

A council tax rise of almost 2% has been recommended for Stockton residents.

The council’s Cabinet recommended the budget for 2015/16 as part of its draft Medium Term Financial Plan for the next four years.

And as part of plans to balance the budget, a council tax rise of 1.9% was agreed.

Full Council will discuss the Cabinet’s recommendation on Wednesday.

The authority said it faces a 43% cash reduction in Government funding from £120m in 2010/11 to £68m in 2015/16.

Council leader, Councillor Bob Cook, said: “The plans set out a realistic and robust approach not just for the coming year but also for the longer term.

“It’s never easy to propose an increase council tax - even by the small amount of 32p per week for the majority of residents.

“But I believe it is in the best interests of the borough that we do. And the proposed increase in council tax is just part of what we need to do.

“We will also be developing further plans to achieve the additional savings that we need to make by 2018/19.”

For a Band A property the 1.9% increase would mean an extra 32p a week on the current £875 annual bill.

The increase in Band D would be 49p a week.