A FORMER council finance chief wants assurances council tax will not be raised by more than five percent in Worcestershire next year.
Reform councillor and former cabinet member for finance Rob Wharton will ask Worcestershire County Council’s deputy leader Adam Kent to confirm the increase for 2027/28 will be no higher than 4.99 percent.
Cllr Wharton will ask his question at a full council meeting on Thursday (November 12).
Council leader Matt Jenkins has already pledged that council tax will not rise by more than five percent as the authority attempts to tackle an £85 million gap in its budget for next year.
QUESTION: Rob Wharton was finance chief under the old Reform administration (Image: Worcestershire County Council)
A five percent increase would bring in roughly another £20m and cost the average Band D household around £88 more a year.
Cllr Wharton will also ask whether the council will start reducing its reliance on Exceptional Financial Support (EFS) to balance its books, in line with recommendations from an External Assurance Review.
The question comes amid continuing pressure on the county council’s finances.
The authority has used £93.5m of EFS over the past two years.
The emergency government support allows councils to borrow or sell capital assets to help fund day-to-day spending.
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It is forecasting an £8m overspend in 2026/27 even with £59.9m of EFS, largely because of the increasing cost of adult and children’s social care.
Chief financial officer Phil Rook has previously warned councillors that EFS should be a “one-off” and was not sustainable, telling them: “We need to start living within our means.”
The council must set a balanced budget for 2027/28 by March 11.
Cllr Wharton’s submitted question reads: “Can the deputy leader of the council give his categoric assurance that the council tax rise for 2027-28 will be no more than 4.99%, and can he further confirm that, in line with the recommendations of the External Assurance Review, this council will start to reduce its reliance on EFS to balance the books?”
Cllr Kent is cabinet member for finance as well as deputy leader.