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Council reveals plan to raise tax by maximum 4.99%

BBC Two men wearing high-visibility jackets and helmets watch as heavy machinery digs up a road surface. It is dark.BBC
Southend-on-Sea City Council's budget for 2025-26 includes what it says is an extra £4m to resurface roads and pavements

Southend-on-Sea City Council has said it plans to increase its tax on residents by 4.99% from April.

Labour leader Daniel Cowan said "whilst we do not want to raise council tax and other charges, we must do this to protect services - drive our city forwards".

The council has a budget shortfall of £4.7m for the current financial year.

Conservative opposition leader James Courtenay said the administration "isn't shy in spending but they are not shy in taxing people either".

Labour, which is in coalition with Lib Dems and independents, said that along with the proposed council tax increase, it would be "doubling the investment in highways" with an extra £4m for pavement and road resurfacing.

The council said the extra money for highways was from its own budget and not from borrowing or reserves.

It is separate from the extra money the government recently announced for fixing potholes.

A man in a blue shirt and grey suit jacket. He is standing inside. He is wearing glasses. He has a beard and short hair, but with a quiff.
Daniel Cowan said car parking charges remained relatively low, despite increasing at some locations

Cowan said £25m would be invested to "address historical pressures".

Children's services remains the main area the city council struggles to fund, with the average care placement for a resident costing £352,000.

Council fees and charges - such as weddings, funerals and garage rentals - would increase on average by 2.75%.

While some car parking charges are increasing, Cowan said evening charges would still be "significantly lower" than in Brighton in East Sussex.

In November, the authority drew down £3.1m of reserves to reduce its deficit.

Courtenay said: "Labour are great at splashing the cash but not great at keeping to budgets."

However, the Tory councillor did welcome increased central government money for Southend.

An extra £7.3m has been allocated to the city council, most of it for social care.

The council's draft budget for 2025-26 is due to be discussed at its cabinet meeting on Monday.

The tax increase of 4.99% is the maximum amount that councils - ones which have a social care remit - are this year allowed to impose.

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