Council tax to rise as city council sets out budget

Council tax will rise in Worcester next year after the city council’s budget plans were backed.

Worcester City Council’s £12.6m budget for the next 12 months includes a rise of £5 for the average council tax bill.

The authority’s councillors unanimously approved the fiscal plan, which include initiatives to regenerate parts of the city centre, new play and community facilities, and celebrations of the Platinum Jubilee and the Commonwealth Games.

Cllr Marc Bayliss, leader of the City Council, said: “The measures in this budget will make a lasting impact on the quality of life for people in Worcester, and also support our city’s economy as we emerge from the pandemic. I am proud that we have achieved this while also keeping council tax as low as possible, in recognition of the cost of living pressures that people are facing.”

This year the council is working on improvements and projects which will invest more than £1m in the city.

They include:
£200,000 to install more electric vehicle charging points in car parks
£100,000 to create a new play area off Cotswold Way in Warndon, with environmental enhancements
£30,000 to help the city’s communities celebrate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
£30,000 for celebrations of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games
£48,000 to support biodiversity in the city
£60,000 to build a new BMX pump track in St Peter’s
£140,000 to create a new community facility area in the Comer Gardens Institute

The city council’s element of council tax will increase by around 1p a day, as permitted by the Government, giving an annual rise of £5.00 for a band D property.

The increase in the city council’s element of residents council tax bills for each property band is:
Band A – £3.33
Band B – £3.89
Band C – £4.44
Band D – £5.00
Band E – £6.11
Band F – £7.22
Band G – £8.33
Band H – £10.00