For penny-pinching UK readers
Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2024 5:55 pm
You may want to check your bills. My local council has issued the Council Tax bill for 2024/5. In it they show the percentage increase on last year’s precepts for various items.
Two items are of interest:
The precept for Adult Social Care is shown as an increase of “2%”’ on last year. The actual increase from last year, based on this year and last year’s precept is 15.1%
The precept for the Council itself is shown as an increase of “2.9%”’ on last year. The actual increase from last year, based on this year and last year’s precept is 3.4%
A local resident has looked at the Adult Social Care precept history. Each year since 2021 the increases are shown as 3%, 2% and 2%. Taking the actual relevant actual cash amounts he has shown that the overall increase over the years is about 97%.
The question has to be asked – why is the wrong ‘increase’ shown? It appears that the ASC costs have practically doubled in that time. This represents a serious underfunding of ASC for my local authority. Why would anyone not wish to publicise this?
Two items are of interest:
The precept for Adult Social Care is shown as an increase of “2%”’ on last year. The actual increase from last year, based on this year and last year’s precept is 15.1%
The precept for the Council itself is shown as an increase of “2.9%”’ on last year. The actual increase from last year, based on this year and last year’s precept is 3.4%
A local resident has looked at the Adult Social Care precept history. Each year since 2021 the increases are shown as 3%, 2% and 2%. Taking the actual relevant actual cash amounts he has shown that the overall increase over the years is about 97%.
The question has to be asked – why is the wrong ‘increase’ shown? It appears that the ASC costs have practically doubled in that time. This represents a serious underfunding of ASC for my local authority. Why would anyone not wish to publicise this?