Doncaster residents face higher bills as 4.99 per cent Council Tax increase is formally approved

Some 2.99 per cent of the rise will be spent on the council’s general revenue budget, while two per cent will be ring-fenced for adult social care.

Council Tax for the average band D property will increase by £78.41 under the plans, to a total of £1,649.73 per year.

Tax for band A properties will rise by £52.27, to a total of £1,099 per year.

The increase will generate an additional £7.3m for the council, a figure officials say is “required to meet budgetary pressures”.

Forty councillors voted to approve the plans, while 10 voted against and one abstained.

Doncaster will continue to have one of the lowest Council Tax rates in the country, having the ninth lowest in 2023/4.

The rise is in line with authorities across the country, with some set to trigger a referendum by proposing an increase above 4.99 per cent as recommended by central government.

Presenting the budget, Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones noted that the council has 25 per cent less funding to spend on services than it did in 2010/11.

This equates to a £344 reduction per resident.

She assured councillors that there is currently no risk of the authority declaring bankruptcy, also known as a Section 114 notice, despite the challenges.

Councillor Jane Kidd, chair of the overview and scrutiny management committee, said that the board was “confident” in the mayor’s budgetary plan after a review.

She noted however that the council’s long term financial stability will be less certain if government funding continues to reduce.