Issue - meetings

Council considered a detailed report presented by the Director of Resources and Section 151 Officer, which set out the proposed level of Council Tax for 2025/26. Members were reminded that the Bolsover District share of the council tax was agreed at the January 2025 meeting at the maximum allowed for a Band D property. This report included the increases for the remaining precepts for the Council tax as detailed in the report.

The Localism Act 2011 required the billing authority to calculate a Council Tax requirement for the year. The approved demand on the Collection Fund for the Council should be £4,882,554. The Council had received all parish precept demands which totalled £5,196,507.48 so the total demand on the Collection Fund 2025/26 would be £10,079,061.48. 

In order to calculate the Council Tax requirement for the area at the relevant bands, the demands of the County Council, Police Authority, Fire Authority, and Parish Councils also needed to be taken into account. The Council had received all the relevant precept demands from these other local authorities that precept upon the Council as the billing authority for Council Tax.

Councillor Carol Wood suggested that the increase in council tax should be frozen for the remainder of the life of the Council due to upcoming local government reorganisation and the cost of living crisis. This was supported by Councillor Justin Gilbody.

The Chair reminded Members that a recorded vote would need to be taken on this item as required by the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014.

Moved by Councillor Duncan Haywood and seconded by Councillor Rob Hiney-Saunders

RESOLVED that (1) the Council Tax for the Financial Year 2025/26 as set out

          in the report be approved;

          (2) the officers as set out in section 1.6 of the report be approved to undertake duties in accordance with section 223 of the Local Government Act 1972, and the Chief Financial Officer be delegated the authority to authorise any amendments to the list of named officers that may prove necessary during the course of the financial year; and

(3) the Director of Finance & Section 151 Officer be delegated the authority to recalculate the figures within the report if the Fire Authority approve different figures than those provisionally received.

For the motion (24):

Councillors David Bennett, Anne Clarke, Rowan Clarke, Amanda Davis, Mary Dooley, Steve Fritchley, Donna Hales, Duncan Haywood, Rob Hiney-Saunders, Cathy Jeffery, Chris Kane, Lucy King, Tom Kirkham, Tom Munro, Sandra Peake, Jeanne Raspin, John Ritchie, Phil Smith, Emma Stevenson, Janet Tait, Ashley Taylor, Vicki Wapplington, Jen Wilson and Jane Yates.

Against the motion (3):

Councillors Louise Fox, Justin Gilbody and Carol Wood.

Abstentions: (0)