Your views on our proposal to increase council tax in 2023-2024

Closed 16 Dec 2022

Opened 21 Oct 2022

Contact

0344 800 8020

haveyoursay@norfolk.gov.uk

Feedback updated 23 Mar 2023

We asked

In the consultation we explained a range of options when asking your opinions on how much to raise council tax by in 23/24.

We had questions on 3 options

  • Increasing the Norfolk County Council’s share of council tax (including the Adult Social Care precept) by 2.99% in 2023-24
  • increasing Norfolk County Council’s share of council tax (including the Adult Social Care precept) by 4.10% in 2023-24
  • increasing Norfolk County Council’s share of council tax (including the Adult Social Care precept) in line with current rates of inflation in 2023-24

 

You said

There were a range of opinions regarding the raising of Council Tax, many respondents acknowledged that the money was necessary to maintain important social services and the proposed increase reflects current economic conditions in which all costs are rising.

There was strong disagreement to the proposal that Council Tax be raised in line with inflation (at the time the consultation was launched inflation stood at 10.1%).

When asked, most respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the proposal to raise Council Tax by 2.99% in 2023-24. When the consultation launched, this was the referendum limit set by central government. However, since the consultation closed, the Government increased that limit – the limit councils can raise council tax without having a local referendum – to 4.99%.

 

We did

In February, Councillors took the difficult decision to increase Council Tax in line with the Government’s cap of 4.99 per cent – 2.99 per cent for general Council Tax and two per cent for the adult social care precept. This change will take effect in April 2023.

You can review details of the council meeting in which this was agreed here

Overview

Norfolk County Council will set a new budget on 21st February 2023.

In this consultation we are asking for your views on our proposed council tax level for 2023-24, including a proposal for the adult social care precept.

Why we are consulting

We want to find out what people think about our proposed increase in council tax.

We are consulting through:

  • This online consultation, which is also available as a paper copy
  • Letter to key partners and stakeholders
  • Letter to members of the Norfolk Residents’ Panel

We are consulting from 21st October 2022 to 16th December 2022. Please note that if we receive any consultation responses after the 16th December 2022, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to take them into account. 

We will feed back the findings from our consultation to our county councillors as part of the evidence they will use to help them come to a decision about our budget proposals.

If you need a copy of this consultation document in a different format please email haveyoursay@norfolk.gov.uk, call 0344 800 8020 or Text Relay on 18001 0344 800 8020 (textphone) and we will do our best to help.

An Easy Read and Large Print version of this consultation is available to download at the bottom of the page. 

What happens next

This consultation will close on Friday 16th  December.

We will take a report about the findings of this consultation to the Council Cabinet in January 2023. We will set a new budget on 21st February.

Our county councillors will consider the consultation responses we receive very carefully.

Thank you to everyone for taking the time to respond to this consultation.

Areas

  • All Areas

Audiences

  • Anyone from any background

Interests

  • Spending
  • Environment