Councillor Tim Swift - Thankless task? - setting the council's budget for next year

​From the goods the Council buys to the contracts we enter into with organisations who provide care services, costs are rising rapidly. Energy costs of course are increasing hugely – thank goodness our Labour administration invested in upgrading all our street lighting to energy efficient LEDs, or we would be having to find millions more!

At the same time, the demands for most council services is increasing. More people need social care – vital help to enable them to continue to lead fulfilling lives in the community, or to keep them safe in care settings. More children, young people and families need support. And sadly, some people continue to let down their neighbours by littering, fly tipping or other anti social behaviour, creating unnecessary costs for the rest of us.

For the last twelve years, the Conservative government has been only too willing to cut the money they provide towards local services, forcing councils both to make cuts and increase council tax.

They have been happy to transfer many of the costs of social care to local council tax payers through the so-called social care precept.

So whilst many of us understandably think of our council tax as a payment for local services – unglamorous but vital activities from street cleaning to waste collection – the reality is that actually

around two thirds of council tax spending actually goes on social care.

The amount that central Government gets in taxes from things like income tax and VAT rises automatically with inflation. Council tax is not like that – there has to be a conscious decision to increase it. This year’s proposed rise of 5 per cent which includes 2 per cent specifically for social care, is difficult but unavoidable (and remains below the rate of inflation).

Our plans for this year’s council budget have three priorities. Firstly, continuing to meet the growing demands on social care. Secondly, maintaining planned spending on other front line services. And thirdly, making sure that in an uncertain world, the Council’s finances are as robust as possible for the next three years – we must not gamble with an uncertain future.

The consultation on the budget runs for another two weeks, and you can read more on the Council’s website at www.calderdale.gov.uk/budget. Please let us know what you think