'Chaotic scenes' as council tax rise is approved

Plans to raise council tax by 10% were approved at a Bradford Council meeting which was disrupted by protests.

West Yorkshire Police had to be called to escort demonstrators from City Hall following "chaotic" scenes.

The annual budget meeting had to be suspended just minutes in when protesters in the public gallery began chanting phrases such as "not a penny more".

The gathering resumed an hour later and the Labour-controlled council agreed to approve the increase by a margin of six votes.

More than 100 people had gathered outside the venue to object to the tax hike before the meeting started.

Labour councillor Joe Wheatley voted against his party's savings plan and said he could not support the rise while urging the government to help underfunded local authorities.

The contentious budget came at a time when Bradford Council's finances remain in a perilous state.

Last year, the government granted the authority permission to borrow money to fund its services.

Over the next few years, 20p in every pound of the council's income will go towards paying off debts.

Disruption to the meeting started soon after Lord Mayor Bev Mullaney had opened proceedings, but before any debate had begun.

After warnings to stop shouting and allow the meeting to continue were ignored, security were called, with some scuffles breaking out.

Police eventually issued a dispersal order and removed a dozen people.

The council had argued that the increase in council tax would mean less borrowing was needed in the long term and leader Susan Hinchcliffe said the authority was "stuck between a rock and a hard place".

Hitting out at opposition parties for offering up no credible alternatives, she added: "If you were truthful you'd admit there is no other way forward. If you vote against this you don't have the guts to tell the truth to the people you represent."

Addressing claims that spending on projects such as Bradford Live and One City Park had led to the financial crisis, Hinchcliffe said: "It is children and adult social care that is the pressure, not regeneration."

The Green Party was the only party to put forward an alternative budget, which they said would bring the required council tax rise down to 9.4 per cent, only slightly below the proposed amount.

However when it came to the vote, the Greens all abstained on their own document - while other councillors voted it down.

Leader of the Greens Matt Edwards said Labour had ignored financial warning signs for years, claiming the leadership "fiddled while Rome burns".

He added: "Bradford is in a worse financial position that almost anywhere in this country."

Although the Conservatives did not present an alternative budget, their finance spokesman councillor Mike Pollard had suggested selling the One City Park development and scrapping plans for a new swimming pool at Squire Lane could reduce the council tax burden on Bradford residents.

However the Tories were accused by the council leader of being unable to celebrate any investment in Bradford. "You don't want us to succeed," Hinchcliffe said.

Liberal Democrat leader councillor Brendan Stubbs said: "Today is another dark day for the people of Bradford.

"A budget in front of us that heaps huge pressure on residents, a budget that barely papers over the financial disaster this Labour executive has caused. A budget that doesn't even come close to fixing the mess."

Rizwan Saleem, from the Independent group, described the tax hike as a "knockout blow after continuous jabs year after year" for taxpayers.

Hinchcliffe thanked councillors for the robust debate, but criticised those who just "oppose, oppose, oppose" and "offer no solutions, no new ideas".

She added there was "no room for heroes" in making difficult decisions.

"We have to be the adults in the room – we have to keep services sustained for local people. Residents expect us to do our duty and not dodge difficult decisions," she insisted.

When it came to the vote, 46 councillors voted in favour of the Labour budget and 39 against, with one abstention.

The higher rate taxes will come in from April, with those in a Band D property expecting to pay around £170 a year more on their bills.

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