Reform UK accused of empty rhetoric' over plan to hike council tax 5% in Derbyshire

"A Reform-led local authority has confirmed it is planning to increase council tax by the maximum allowed amount, despite promises during the local election to reduce taxes. Derbyshire county council confirmed the rise after predicting a 38m gap in its budget, with overspends in children's social care and adult social care. It is now one of four local authorities where Reform UK has a majority or is the biggest party to have proposed 5% council tax rises, according to recent announcements."

"The increase in council tax in Derbyshire is expected to raise about 29m this financial year and will coincide with a new round of cuts worth 22m, according to its budget saving proposals. The savings do not appear to include significant job cuts, despite council leader, Alan Graves, pledging to do so after claiming the local authority was 20% overstaffed. The budget proposals report blames inflation, rising demand and the government's new local government funding formula as having contributed to budgetary pressures."

"In December, the government published its funding plans for local authorities, which assumed most would raise council tax by the maximum amount. It states the council being a rural shire county has suffered as a result of the reforms and in order to maintain funding levels there will be a need to set increases in council tax at the maximum permitted level."

Derbyshire County Council, led by Reform, plans to increase council tax by the maximum permitted amount after predicting a £38m budget gap driven by overspends in children's and adult social care. The proposed 5% rise is expected to raise about £29m this year and will accompany £22m of cuts outlined in budget-saving proposals. The savings proposals do not include significant job cuts despite a council leader's pledge after claiming the local authority was 20% overstaffed. The council blames inflation, rising demand and the government's new local government funding formula for the pressures, saying rural shire counties have suffered. Similar 5% proposals have been proposed or not ruled out in other Reform-led county councils.

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