Council Tax increase of 4.99 per cent agreed

As part of their budget, Wokingham Borough Council is proposing to increase their share of Council Tax by 4.99 per cent in the 2024/5 financial year.

This includes a two per cent increase towards adult social care and a one per cent ring-fenced increase to reduce overspend on special educational needs, both in the past and expect- ed in future.

The average Band D Council Tax will therefore be £2,262.93, including funding for the fire service, police and a typical parish council - an increase of £8.80 per month.

A spokesman said: “We need to save about £16.4 million next year because our costs are much higher than the additional funding we get from the Govern- ment. This is largely due to inflation and growing demand for our services – particularly educational support for children and social care for older residents.

“We’d like to reassure you that we will be able to maintain the services that people rely on, and these remain a priority in these challenging times, but our difficult financial position means we can’t avoid increasing Council Tax.”