Council approves almost 5% tax increase

Council tax in Barnsley will rise by 4.99%, the maximum increase allowed without a referendum, as councillors approved the borough's budget.

The increase is set to help address a £15.1m funding gap and ensure that essential services can continue amid rising costs and growing demand.

Meanwhile, £34.1m has been allocated for social care, including £8.7m to cover pay and inflation, £4.8m for children's social care and £10.2m for adult social care.

Council leader Sir Steve Houghton said the budget was "the best in 15 years, maybe even longer".

The council tax rise comprises a 2% increase to support adult social care and 2.9% to maintain other vital services.

Budget documents described the rise as difficult but necessary to prevent cuts to services that residents rely on, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Houghton said: "No one wants to see council tax go up, least of all me.

"But the reality is, to keep the council financially sound we have to make sure that revenue base continues, whatever we spend it on."

Councillor Roy Bowser, who seconded the proposals, paid tribute to the "resilience of Barnsley people in a deeply embedded cost of living crisis".

Residents in Band D properties will pay an extra £87 per year, with their council tax bill going from £1,790.68 to £1,878.42.

Councillor Hannah Kitching said the increase would be a "hard sell' for residents who have not had their recycling bins collected so far this year.

A total of £3.7m has been allocated to waste and fleet services, £900,000 to home-to-school transport and £600,000 to homelessness services and temporary accommodation.

The Great Childhood Ambition and Community Enhancement initiatives will also each receive £1.5m for pilot projects.

Councillor Chris Wray criticised plans to save £350,000 a year by dimming streetlights across the borough.

"There are streets already where people feel unsafe. Sadly, this is across the country but it is something that we don't want to be making worse," he said.

"I firmly believe that no changes should ever come that either potentially or will risk or compromise anybody's safety."

Councillor James Higginbottom, cabinet member for environment and highways, said that community safety was at the "forefront" of the authority's plans.

He said: "Professional highway engineers are continuing to explore options around how we can continue to achieve those savings, both financially and in terms of our energy consumption.

"It is not the intentions of the highways service to go out tomorrow and switch all the streetlights off in Barnsley, I can give you that guarantee."

The budget was passed following a vote, with 41 for and 13 against.

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