3.99% increase 'gives taxpayers value for money'

REFORM UK leaders at Staffordshire County Council say a proposed 3.99 per cent tax hike shows their commitment to keeping charges 'as low as possible'.

- By PHIL CORRIGAN Local democracy reporter

The planned council tax increase for 2026/27 is below the 4.99 per cent maximum which authorities can impose without a referendum.

The 3.99 per cent rise will see Band D households pay £1,686.42 to the county council next year a £64.71 increase.

Reform UK took control of the county council after May's local elections and promised to make efficiency savings and keep council tax low, to give residents better value for money.

But Conservative opposition councillors claim that Reform voters will feel 'betrayed' at the planned tax hike, and say the party's election claims that the council had large amounts of wasteful spending were false.

The budget does include £21.5 million of savings, with the majority of these coming within care commissioning. The council is also planning to invest an extra £5.5 million in children and family services, which will fund 119 new staff.