RESIDENTS are being encouraged to have their say on some of the budget proposals for the first year of the new Cumberland Council.

The new council will provide all council services from April 1 to residents who live in the current Allerdale, Carlisle and Copeland district council areas.

The Shadow Executive for Cumberland Council, elected in May 2022 is now consulting on some of the proposals in relation to council tax.

The three district councils currently charge different amounts for their services. Therefore, the new council needs to harmonise these amounts to ensure a fair and consistent approach across the whole area.

To do this, the council has worked out a weighted average band D bill based on current charges, including those for Cumbria County Council.

This results in an average B and D bill based on this year’s charges of £1,648.58. There are a number of ways in which council tax levels can be harmonised.

However, the Shadow Executive is proposing to carry out the harmonisation of council tax rates from April 1 2023. This will mean that all residents will be paying the same across the Cumberland Council area.

The Council say it is aware of the financial pressures and cost of living crisis, and the pressure this places on households, and will therefore continue to provide the council tax reduction scheme to help those on low incomes.

This will provide up to 100 per cent council tax discount for qualifying households. 

Therefore, the council is also proposing an increase of 4.99 per cent in council tax bills from 1 April 2023. This is a 2.99 per cent base increase, and 2 per cent for adult social care.

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As a result, the average band D bill would increase to £1,730.84, or an average annual rise of £82.26 or just £1.58 a week. For a band A property, the annual rise weekly increase equates to £1.05. This percentage rise is also around half the current rate of inflation.

Cllr Barbara Cannon, shadow executive member with responsibility for finance and assets, said: “This is not an easy decision for us, as we know people are struggling financially. But we also know that many of our residents depend on the services we provide.

"We are also at the mercy of the same inflationary pressures affecting people and organisations up and down the country. Therefore, to maintain those services, we are proposing to increase our council tax by 4.99 per cent, which in itself remains way below the current rate of inflation.

“But we do want to do what we can to help those most in need. That’s why we recently improved the council tax reduction scheme to make it easier for them to get the financial help they need when paying their bill."

Anyone wishing to have their say can go to the Shadow Authority for Cumberland Council website and follow the links at: cumberland.gov.uk/consultations .

Hard copies of the consultation will be available from local libraries and council offices throughout the Cumberland Council area.

The consultation ends on January 31.

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