Ashfield Council Tax to rise £3.83 a year for most residents.

Ashfield District’s Council Tax will see an annual rise of £3.83 or 7p a week for the majority of its residents.  53% of Council Tax payers across Ashfield live in Band A properties. Of these, 27% are receiving full or partial Council Tax Support.  The recommendations will go before the Council’s Cabinet next week.

The Council say that the small increase is needed due to the current and forecast levels of inflation in the economy.  The Council has frozen Council Tax for 2 out of the last 4 years and says that the rise is “… a last resort.” 

To put the £3.83, Band A Ashfield rise into perspective – last Thursday, Nottinghamshire County Council voted to put Band A Council Tax up by £53.05 a year.

Councillor David Martin, the Deputy Leader of the Council and Executive Lead Member for Finance, Revenues and Benefits said,

“Raising Council Tax is a last resort but represents a few pence a week for the vast majority of residents.  We recognise the strain that rocketing budgets have had on Ashfield residents with soaring inflation and big rises in the cost of living.  We have the most generous Council Tax support scheme possible – this will protect the most vulnerable across Ashfield from any rise at all.”

Ashfield District Council collects Council Tax for Nottinghamshire County Council, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Authority and Nottinghamshire Police. Ashfield District Council only receives under 9% of the total Council Tax collected – compared to the County Council who receive over 75% of the total bill.  The Police get 12% and the Fire Authority gets 4%. 

Councillor Martin continued,

“Ashfield District Council delivers a huge number of discretionary services including parks and open spaces, the Big Ashfield Spring Clean, markets and events, leisure facilities and community safety. Ashfield District Council receives under 9% of Council Tax collected. As the authority that issues the bills and collects the payments, residents often think we are receiving all the money, but this is not the case.”