Authority's council tax rise lower than planned
BBCThe rise in council tax bills for householders across County Durham will be 1.99%, which is lower than initially planned.
Councillors at the Reform UK-led authority approved the proposal to increase the social care precept while keeping the core charge at the same rate, at its annual budget and council tax-setting meeting.
The increase was reduced from a previously proposed 3.1% rise after the council received additional funding from the government last week.
Council leaders said they have made "difficult choices" to protect taxpayers, including £12.9m of budget cuts and savings over the next year.
Council leader Andrew Husband said: "Increasing the council tax by any amount is never an easy or comfortable position, but a 1.99% increase in the social care precept with zero per cent on core council tax is significantly below the rate of inflation, and the first time this council has done so in many years."
Darren Grimes, deputy leader and cabinet member for finance, said the council had not "taken the easy route of just banging up the council tax by 5%".
"Our proposed council tax increase is well below inflation and will be lower than almost every other local authority in our region and across the country," he said.
"I'm pretty certain, as far as the North East is concerned, that we are going above and beyond."
'Handed a lifeline'
However, changes to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme - meaning people on low incomes would lose their previous exemption and most residents will have to pay at least 10% of their tax bills - was criticised by political rivals, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Amanda Hopgood, Liberal Democrat and former council leader, said: "We will not support a budget that increases financial stress to those who already struggle by giving them bills for the first time."
Labour leader Rob Crute said: "The people who elected us to serve them deserve better than council tax increases, higher fees and charges, further cuts to services, increased borrowing, and breaches of promises made to the electors less than a year ago, especially when this council has been handed a lifeline in the form of a significant increase in funding for the first time in a generation."
Chris Lines, speaking on behalf of the Independent group, objected to the rise and called for a "root-and-branch review" of council tax nationally to make it fairer for residents.