Torridge council want 3% increase in council tax

The authority says help is still available for those struggling to pay

Torridge District Council wants to increase council tax from April, claiming most people receiving support to pay it won’t feel the effect of the rise.

Officers think the council will be be more than £100,000 worse off without a proposed three per cent increase. If the rise does go through, Torridge will receive around £4.5 million in council tax income next year.

Financial support is available for people struggling to pay the tax, and a government grant allows Torridge to reduce it by up to £25 per household.

Any money left over from a £103,000 grant given to Torridge by central government can be used to give financial help to other vulnerable households.

Four in five council tax working age claimants in Torridge already receive a 75 per cent reduction in council tax, while pensioner claimants can get a full discount.

Currently, nearly 4,000 people in Torridge receive help paying the tax.

According to a council officer, the additional support given by the government’s council tax grant essentially means no increase for most, but not all, of those claiming support next year.

The proposed increase was unanimously approved at an internal overview and scrutiny committee meeting on Tuesday [7 February]. It will be debated ahead of a final decision at a full council meeting on Monday 20 February.