Sheffield residents are set to face an increase in their council tax following councillors approval of the 2024/25 financial budget.
Chair of the Finance Committee Zahira Naz said: “Every year we have had to deliver more with less, which simply cannot continue.”
The budget was passed in a meeting last Wednesday, and includes the controversial approval of a Band D equivalent Council Tax of £1,932,56 for City Council services, the maximum increase possible at 4.99%.
Coun Zahira Naz said: “We do not take the decision to increase council tax lightly, but to maintain our current levels of services in the city, we were left with no choice.
“The soaring costs and continuous challenges to make ends meet have resulted in a budget which includes decisions we did not want to make, but have reluctantly put forward.”
Also agreed in the meeting on Wednesday was the Council Plan, formally proposed by Council leader Tom Hunt and seconded by Deputy Leader Angela Argenzio.
The five ambitions outlined in the plan for Sheffield are:
- A place where all children belong and all young people can build a successful future.
- Great neighbourhoods that people are happy to call home.
- People live in caring, engaged communities that value diversity and support wellbeing.
- A creative and prosperous city full of culture, learning and innovation.
- A City on the move – growing, connected and sustainable.
View the plan online at https://council-plan.sheffield.gov.uk/.
A net Revenue Budget amounting to £543,815m and the contents of a new Capital Strategy were also approved, outlining the council’s priorities for next year.
Included in the programme was its continued spending on housing, set at £104.8m for 2024/25.
Council Leader Tom Hunt insisted that a ‘decade of systematic under-investment’ has put the council in a difficult position with its spending powers.
Coun Hunt said: “Over the last 14 years our council has lost in real terms nearly half of its funding from central government.
“Every pound of public money that we administer, must be spent wisely.”
