Northamptonshire council approves 4.95% tax rise

West Northamptonshire Council has approved a 4.95% rise in council tax from April.

Its 2026-27 budget, the first since Reform UK took control last May, was voted through at a full council meeting on Thursday.

It will see the average charge for a band D property rise by £92.42 a year to £1,959.40.

Cabinet member for finance John Slope said: "It is balanced, it is legal, and it protects the most vulnerable residents." But opposition councillors criticised the rise and warned people would question pre-election pledges.

The issue of increases to parking charges in Northampton was also raised but remained in the budget.

Conservative group leader Daniel Lister said: "[Reform UK's] first budget raised council tax to the maximum the law permits.

"They then reduced it by 0.04% - that fools nobody. We would rather be straight with residents about what it costs to fund highways, support communities and protect the most vulnerable."

Council leader Mark Arnull previously warned there was a "huge scale of financial pressures".

Proposed amendments from Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat groups were all voted down.

The budget passed by 38 votes to 31, with one abstention.

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