As the city council makes plans for the next financial year, a series of recommendations to set a balanced budget have been put forward by its executive team. This includes hike in council tax of almost 5%.
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00:00 As the City Council makes plans for the next financial year, a series of recommendations
00:07 to set a balanced budget have been put forward by its executive team. This includes a hiking
00:13 council tax of almost 5%. The money is used to pay for many of our local services from
00:19 schools, bin collections and street repairs to libraries, parks and leisure facilities.
00:24 A portion also goes towards our local police, fire and rescue services.
00:29 Do you think you are getting enough bang for your buck when it comes to council tax?
00:34 Well, there are lots of areas where not enough money is spent. Lots of areas really. Litter
00:45 is a problem and fly tipping. But I'm mainly concerned about the provision of social services
00:53 for the elderly and for young people with special needs.
00:57 No way. I don't blame the council actually, I blame the government. They're putting restrictions
01:03 on all our councils all over England.
01:06 I don't think the city does a good enough job because when you look at it, you come
01:12 in the city centre here in Liverpool and you see loads of homeless people. The amount of
01:20 homeless people in the city centre is ridiculous.
01:25 I don't hold the council particularly responsible for all of that because I know the government
01:31 grants over the years, particularly in areas like Merseyside, have reduced year on year
01:38 and we're expected to do more and more.
01:42 Social care, social housing, homeless people, it's just everything. But I think Pothole
01:48 is at the bottom of the list personally.
01:50 They would pay more council tax if the potholes were filled in and homeless people have homes,
02:05 food.
02:07 The next 12 months marks the second of a three-year process for Liverpool Council to close a financial
02:13 black hole of £85 million.
02:16 Despite more than half of the shortfall being delivered in the current financial year, the
02:21 council is still seeking to make tens of millions of pounds in savings this year.
02:25 The amount you pay or your council tax band depends on the valuation of your property.
02:30 An increase of 4.99% in 2024-25 would equate to an additional £64.81 per year or £1.25
02:41 a week for a band-aid property. That's the rate paid by most council taxpayers across
02:46 Merseyside.
02:47 However, the proposed total revenue generated through council tax in the next financial
02:52 year would potentially be outstripped by the bill the authority faces to fund adult social
02:58 care during the same period.