Essex County Council tax set to rise by £60 a year
BBCCouncil tax bills for Essex County Council are set to increase by £60 a year, on average.
The authority's share of the bills will increase from £1,340.91 to £1,401.12 from April 2022 for Band D homes.
Other precepting authorities - including individual district councils and the police and fire services - have yet to decide on changes.
The Conservative-run county council says the increase of 4.49% is below the current rate of inflation.
The increase is made up of a 2.99% council tax increase and 1.5% for adult social care that was deferred from last year during the pandemic, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The council says inflation has added £32m to next year's bill for services, with interest rate rises increasing the cost of borrowing for the council's capital spending programme.
It plans to spend £284m in 2022-23 on major infrastructure projects, such as new schools and large road improvements.
Demand for council services which protect the most vulnerable has also risen - particularly in adult social care, it said.
Kevin Bentley, leader of Essex County Council, said: "We are responsible for ensuring that we renew our economy, provide equal opportunities for all and ignite ambition for the people and places we are privileged to represent.
"This budget is a crucial step on that journey."
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