Latest news with #ZahiraNaz
BBC News
05-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Sheffield council tax to rise by almost 5% in 2025-26
Sheffield Council has increased council tax by the maximum amount allowed as it struggles to balance its approved a 4.99% increase for the next year, which is the largest rise without the need for a local referendum, at a town hall meeting council will receive £301m of income via council tax, which is £17m more than 2024-25. Increases in business rates and grants are expected to generate another £ councillor Zahira Naz, the council's finance spokesperson, said the funding settlement from the government had been "better than expected and provided much needed breathing space" for the authority. She said: "Let's not pretend it undoes the years of financial strain that councils have faced. We are still dealing with the long-term impact of austerity, the rising costs of delivering services and the increasing demand on social care, housing and public services."But it does allow us to make decisions with a little more certainty which will help us protect the services people rely on."Over the next year the council will have pressures of almost £72m because of a rise in demand for services and increases in £54m of these pressures relate to adult and children social care council still faces a £2m black hole due to the government's decision to increase national insurance. 'Things are hard' The council is a coalition with no single party in overall control and Green Party Leader Douglas Johnson said all the parties had worked on the said: "The council is stable, it is not going to go bankrupt but things are hard and we are in a very difficult financial position. "We are 23% down on spending compared to 2010 and that is a huge cut in services."Liberal Democrat Leader Shaffaq Mohammed said: "Has Labour watched the BBC news and seen what is coming in a couple of weeks when the chancellor makes further cuts?"The next few years are going to be really challenging with national insurance increases, pressures on social care and international issues which will impact on this city."Officers said the council was planning to make savings but "robust action" was needed to contain financial pressures in the coming next council tax rates households will pay for 2025/26:Band A: £1,352.66Band B: £1,578.10Band C: £1,803.55Band D: £2,028.99Band E: £2,479.88Band F: £2,930.76Band G: £3,381.65Band H: £4,057.98 Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
BBC News
20-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Sheffield City Council set for maximum 4.99% tax rise
Sheffield City Council is planning to raise tax by the maximum amount of 4.99% from April.A council meeting was told even though the government was providing more financial support for local authorities, it still had to take "necessary steps to find efficiencies".The proposed increase, which means Band D properties will see a rise of almost £240 a year, is the highest allowed without needing a local referendum. The authority's finance director Philip Gregory said it was a "difficult decision" during the cost of living crisis. The meeting heard the local government finance settlement had granted a "much-needed 9.4% increase in core spending power", which is a combination of council tax, business rates and other members were told the council was forecasting budget pressures of £71.7m, with £54m of that relating to social care services, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. 'Difficult financial situation' According to the authority's calculations, increases in business rates income along with grants would generate £ alongside the proposed council tax rise, the authority said it meant Sheffield would have a balanced budget for 2025/ Zahira Naz, chairman of the finance committee, said the last decade had seen councils "dealing with a difficult financial situation", but the authority managed its budget "carefully and responsibly".She said: "Our funding has been cut massively since 2010, prices have gone up and there is rising demand for the services that we provide."Despite those challenges, we are setting out plans for a balanced budget. "The government is providing more financial support for councils, which is very welcome."We will continue to provide vital frontline services that the people of Sheffield rely on, while also taking the necessary steps to find efficiencies."The meeting heard that the council still faced a £2m black hole due to the government's decision to increase national are set to approve the tax rise at a budget meeting on 5 March. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.
