Greens call for public to vote on increase in council tax

GREEN councillors are calling for voters in Sheffield to be given a say on whether the city council raises its council tax this year.

The Greens are calling for a referendum that would allow the council to raise its council tax by more than two per cent.

Government rules mean that councils cannot increase their council tax bills by more than two per cent without holding a public vote.

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While councils have complained about cuts in central government funding none have yet chosen to hold a vote, pointing to the costs involved and the likely “no” outcome.

However, the Greens running Brighton Council recently proposed a 4.75 per cent council tax increase and a public referendum.

Sheffield Green councillor Jillian Creasy said: “We know many households are on tight incomes. But Sheffield Council hasn’t increased council tax since 2010.

“Because of this, the council has £20m less to spend than if council tax had increased in line with inflation.

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“We believe Sheffield people want strong local communities, supported by quality public transport, local shops and businesses, libraries and community care, as well as to protect the poorest families.

“Supporting those things would secure the kind of city most people want.”

The Greens said they would use any tax increase to spend on libraries, social care for the elderly and vulnerable adults and to support the 30,000 council tax payers on the lowest incomes.

Sheffield City Council has yet to publish full details of its budget for the year ahead but the Labour administration has indicated it will freeze tax bills for a fourth year in a row.

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The Government offers extra money, known as the “freeze grant”, to councils that hold their bills.

But an increasing number of Yorkshire authorities have this year said they will gain more by putting up bills by two per cent.

Some council leaders are concerned that taking the freeze grant makes them more dependent on central government funding which could be withdrawn.

Labour-run Leeds, Hull, Bradford and Wakefield as well as Conservative-run North Yorkshire County Council are among those with proposals to increase council tax this year.