Council tax increasing by 4.99% in Leeds after budget plans approved
Leeds City Council says there will be more cash for community services
Council tax will rise by almost five per cent after budget plans for the next financial year were approved.
Leeds City Council said there would be more cash for community services as its plans for 2026/27 were voted through.
Measures to save £46.6m next year were set out in a debate at Leeds Civic Hall.
Councillors were told that despite the required savings, some £71.1m in extra cash had been made available for the city.
Labour council leader James Lewis said the financial situation had improved since the Conservatives were in power.
Action to tackle potholes and fly-tipping were among planned improvements.
Coun Lewis said: “These are fully-funded frontline interventions which which would not be possible under Conservative austerity.”
Council tax will increase by 4.99 per cent, of which two per cent would be used to fund adult social care.
An additional £54.6m had been committed to fund care services for people of all ages.
Coun Lewis said: “This will help us meet rising demand and cost pressures.”
Some 64 amendments to the budget plans were tabled by the city’s opposition groups, but defeated by the Labour majority.
The Liberal Democrats wanted to end a “bunker mentality” at the council and make services more accountable.
Among their alternative budget proposals was putting £2.4m towards making public parks more accessible.
Group leader Stewart Golton said: “Of course to get to their local park, disabled people need to be able to leave their house to get there, but too often that path is literally blocked.”
Some amendments called for the scrapping of parking charges in town centres and beauty spots.
Conservative group leader Alan Lamb said businesses had been hit by the charges.
He said: “That is how you drain life from a town centre. This policy was not a financial necessity. It was a political choice.”
Labour’s budget plans were approved following the five-hour debate on Wednesday.
Job losses, parking charges and building sales were previously announced as the council faced required savings of more than £100m in the current financial year.