Babergh and Mid Suffolk residents face council tax rises

Residents in Band B homes in Babergh will have to find an extra £4.24 a year as its element goes up by 2.99%.

In Mid Suffolk, Band B householders will have to pay an extra £2.67 a year as bills go up 2%. There are more homes in the district in Band B than any other across Suffolk.

Babergh is facing a £1.8million black hole, with the controversial decision to implement parking fees in Sudbury, Hadleigh and Lavenham one of the ways it may try to bridge the gap.

Acting leader John Ward said: “While our costs have risen 21% in the last year, government funding has increased by just 3.4% in the same period.

"This alone, however, does not truly reflect the cash crisis faced by councils. The Local Government Association says core council spending power has suffered a 27% real terms cut since 2011.

“Babergh is a well-run authority. We are making savings, driving efficiencies, and reviewing our fees and charges - but this year we will have to spend reserves to balance our budget. That is unsustainable - you can only spend reserves once.”

At Mid Suffolk the increase is less as the new Green Party leadership gets to grips with its first budget.

Leader Andy Mellen said the proposed budget addresses the challenging financial outlook but also allows delivery of the new administration’s plans.

Mid Suffolk leader Andy Mellen (Image: Charlotte Bond)

He said: “Since being elected in May, the Green administration has developed a new vision for our district which puts environmental sustainability and social justice at the heart of everything we do. This budget will help us achieve that.

“At the same time, we recognise the impact of the cost-of-living crisis for residents, which is why we propose to limit any increase to our element of council tax bills to 2%."