Telford's council tax freeze approved by cabinet

Taxpayers in the Shropshire borough are set to enjoy the lowest council tax in the Midlands for the sixth year in a row if the final budget wins councillor approval next month.

Telford & Wrekin Council’s budget for 2023-24 was approved by Labour council leader Shaun Davies and his cabinet on Thursday.

The budget proposals include a freeze in the level of general council tax for the second year running, giving Telford & Wrekin the second lowest council tax of all unitary councils across the country.

The freeze to general council tax - the authority is still increasing the social care aspect of the tax by two per cent - comes after a report by The County Councils Network this week suggested that 84 local authorities, including Shropshire Council, are planning to increase council tax by the maximum amount this year.

Under government rules, if a council wants to increase tax by more than 4.99 per cent then it has to hold a local referendum.

Councillor Davies said that the authority was "not prepared" to hike taxes during a cost of living crisis.

He said: "We know that times are tough for many residents and want to keep the bill as low as possible.

“Our commitment to keeping council tax low already saves households living in a Band D property around £228 a year compared to the Midlands average and we expect this saving to be even greater in the new financial year.

“It’s only because of the strong and robust management of the council’s finances since 2011 that we can do this.”

Other proposals in the budget include £40 million for transport and highways schemes, £12 million to help people through the cost of living crisis, £7 million into leisure and culture, and £3.7 million for environmental improvements.

Budget proposals will now be voted on at a meeting of the full council on March 2.