Leeds council tax to rise by 4.99% in April

Leeds City Council has signed off on a 4.99% increase in council tax as part of approved budget plans for the next financial year.

The increase equates to an extra £71.89 a year for a Band A property, £83.87 for a Band B household and an extra £95.85 for those in Band C.

The council said the rise, coupled with voluntary redundancies, a reduction in agency staff and increased charges for some services, would help the authority save £46.6m over the next year.

It said its financial plans for 2026/27 would include spending more on fixing potholes and dealing with fly-tipping.

Labour council leader James Lewis said the authority's financial situation had improved since the Conservatives were in power nationally.

Referring to action to tackle potholes and fly-tipping, he said: "These are fully-funded front-line interventions which which would not be possible under Conservative austerity."

Council tax will increase by 4.99%, of which 2% will be used to fund adult social care.

An additional £54.6m had been committed to fund care services for people of all ages.

Lewis added: "This will help us meet rising demand and cost pressures."

Some 64 amendments to the budget plans were tabled by the city's opposition groups, but defeated by the Labour majority, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The Liberal Democrats said they wanted to end a "bunker mentality" at the council and make services more accountable.

Among their alternative budget proposals was putting £2.4m towards making public parks more accessible.

Group leader Councillor Stewart Golton said: "Of course to get to their local park, disabled people need to be able to leave their house to get there, but too often that path is literally blocked."

Some amendments called for the scrapping of parking charges in town centres and beauty spots.

Conservative group leader Councillor Alan Lamb said businesses had been hit by the charges.

He said: "That is how you drain life from a town centre. This policy was not a financial necessity. It was a political choice."

Labour's budget plans were approved following a five-hour debate on Wednesday.

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