Why it matters: The Council says increasing service demands and reduced government funding are leading to "tough decisions" to protect local services. The announcement comes the same day it announced residents would be charged £50 per year for brown bin collections.
By the numbers:
£23m current budget gap identified
£119m real-terms reduction in government grants since 2010
£19m savings planned over the next four years
The big picture: It's not just Ipswich Borough Council increasing their rates. Residents face council tax rises from all authorities in 2025/26:
Ipswich Borough Council: 2.98%
Suffolk County Council: 4.99%
Police and Crime Commissioner: 5.06%
This amounts to a total annual increase of £81.12 for Band B properties and an extra £209.17 for Band H properties.
What they're saying: "Like so many others, the Council has been hit by economic uncertainty and significant cost increases outside of its control," says Council Leader Neil MacDonald. "These include a significant increase in demand for key statutory services, higher price levels from recent high inflation, and the impact of interest rates reducing more slowly than expected."
What's next: The Council's Executive will consider the financial proposals on Tuesday, 11 February, with final decisions to be made at Full Council on 19 February.
The bottom line: The Council says it must continue making difficult financial decisions while trying to protect services, despite successfully identifying £19m in savings. Its proposed 2.98% council tax rise is lower than Suffolk County Council's 4.99% and Police and Crime Commissioner's 5.06% increases, but that will be of little consolation to residents already feeling the squeeze.
