Cumbria County Council agree to council tax increase
Written by News on 19/02/2021
Council tax is set to rise by 3.99% for people living in Cumbria after the Full Council agreed ‘reluctantly’ to the increase in its share.
Cumbria County Council said it remains optimistic for the future and has continued to deliver its services despite a very challenging year.
At a meeting of Cumbria County Council’s Full Council, the following was agreed:
A general increase of Council Tax by 1.99% for 2021/22
An additional precept for Adult Social Care of 2.00% for 2021/22
The Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP) for 2021-2026
This is a total increase on Cumbria County Council’s share of council tax of 3.99%.
Councillor Peter Thornton, Deputy Leader of Cumbria County Council, and portfolio holder with responsibility for finance said:
“Cumbria County Council remains optimistic despite a very challenging year. We have a strong track record in protecting frontline services while delivering savings in response to reduced government funding.
We have a legal requirement to present a balanced budget and protect services and to do this we have reluctantly taken the difficult decision to increase the County Council’s share of council tax by a total of 3.99% for 2021/22.
“We had previously planned a 1.99% rise in Council tax but the Chancellor’s spending review made it clear that our calculated spending power assumed an additional 3% Adult Social Care precept with the option to defer all or part of this to 2022/23. The budget proposal includes an increase in the Adult Social Care precept by 2% in 2021/22 and 1% in 2022/23. We, and our fellow councils of all political persuasions, agree that government cannot continue to see council tax rises as being the way to fund increasing social care needs.
“There are still significant pressures on the county council’s core budget. This increase will help raise £5million to invest into essential council services for the most vulnerable and the people who need our support right now in addition to a further £5million ring fenced to deliver social care.
“I want the public to know that the county council has worked very hard to keep this proposed increase as low as is possible, and it equates to £4.79 a month on a Band D property. The money generated will help us provide essential services to those who need them the most and it also ensures that we will deliver the legally balanced budget this year.”
You can see the proposed changes by Council Tax band below compared to the preview year.
| Council Tax Levels | 2020/21 £ | 2021/22 £ | Increase (pa) £ |
| Band A (up to £40,000) | 960.37 | 998.69 | 38.32 |
| Band B (£40,001 to £52,000) | 1,120.44 | 1,164.15 | 44.71 |
| Band C (£52,001 to £68,000) | 1,280.49 | 1,331.59 | 51.19 |
| Band D (£68,001 to £88,000) | 1,440.56 | 1,498.04 | 57.48 |
| Band E (£88,001 to £120,000) | 1,760.68 | 1,830.93 | 70.25 |
| Band F (£120,001 to £160,000) | 2,080.81 | 2,163.84 | 83.03 |
| Band G (£160,001 to £320,000) | 2,400.93 | 2,496.73 | 95.80 |
| Band H (£320,001 and over) | 2,881.12 | 2,996.08 | 114.96 |
