Council Tax to rise by just £3.95 a year for most residents

Ashfield District Council’s portion of the 2024/2025 Council Tax will see an annual rise of £3.95 or a maximum of 8p a week for most of its residents. 

53% of Council Tax payers across Ashfield live in Band A properties. Of these, 27% are receiving full or partial Council Tax support. The recommendations were approved at a Full Council meeting on 4 March.

The small increase is needed due to the rise in costs brought about by the high levels of inflation in the economy. 

To put the £3.95, Band A Ashfield rise, into perspective – Nottinghamshire County Council voted to put Band A Council Tax up by £55.61 a year.

Councillor Rachel Madden, Executive Lead Member for Finance, Revenues and Benefits said,

“Raising Council Tax is a last resort but represents a few pence a week for the vast majority of residents. We recognise the strain that rocketing budgets have had on Ashfield residents, with soaring inflation and big rises in the cost of living. We have the most generous Council Tax support scheme possible, and this will continue to protect the most financially vulnerable across Ashfield from any rise at all.”

Ashfield District Council collects Council Tax on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Authority and Nottinghamshire Police. Ashfield District Council only receives under 9 pence in every £1 of the total Council Tax collected – compared to the County Council who receive over 75 pence per pound of the total Council Tax bill. Nottinghamshire Police get around 12 pence and the Fire and Rescue Authority gets around 4 pence. 

Councillor Madden continued,

“As the authority that is required to issue the bills and collect the payments, residents often think the District Council is receiving all of the money, but this is not the case. Ashfield District Council delivers a huge number of services including the Big Ashfield Spring Clean, events, leisure facilities and community safety, all for less pence out of every pound collected, with the vast share being taken by Nottinghamshire County Council.”