Council opposition group calls for smaller tax rise

Worcestershire County Council's opposition Conservative group is trying to block plans for a 9% council tax rise - and is calling for a 5% increase instead.

Tory councillors have put forward alternative proposals for the authority's budget, which include a "hard" recruitment freeze and a workforce restructure in return for lower household bills.

The move comes ahead of a vote on Thursday at the Reform-led council, where a 9% rise could add around £145 a year to band D properties.

Councillor Adam Kent, leader of the Tories, called the tax hike "unacceptable", while the Reform leadership said the opposition group's budget proposals lacked detail.

Kent said: "The Conservative group will not support an 8.98% council tax rise.

"Worcestershire's households are already under pressure from national taxation, energy costs and the cost of living.

"Asking them to absorb one of the highest increases in the country because reform was not driven early enough [to identify extra savings] is unacceptable.

"We call on all other opposition groups to stand with residents and vote against this excessive rise."

The Tory proposals do not specify how many jobs would be cut, but call for "smaller team structures" and a recruitment freeze. It would mean staff in non-frontline roles not being replaced when they left the council.

The 20-page document also stated the council could reduce spending on agency workers and renegotiate major contracts, with the total savings put at £14.4m in the first year.

But the budget amendment is not expected to be voted on, because the council's chief financial officer, Phil Rook, said the savings were "not articulated in sufficient detail".

An amendment by Labour councillors that calls for unused farm estates to be sold off and the money invested into highways was expected to be debated on Thursday.

Reform councillor Rob Wharton, deputy leader and cabinet member for finance, said: "All budget amendments submitted by the deadline have been assessed to ensure they contain sufficient detail.

"This includes the ability to deliver the changes in-year, the validity of the savings identified and whether or not there will be additional costs to implement the proposed changes.

"General strategic approaches do not provide sufficient assurance when the council is in a challenging financial position, therefore, should not be approved as part of the council budget setting process."

The Reform leadership has said the council was facing "effective bankruptcy" and was seeking emergency government help alongside the 9% tax rise.

Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.