Reform UK ambition to freeze County Durham council tax

Leaders have admitted Durham County Council faces an “extremely difficult” challenge of balancing its budget next year amid rising costs and pressures on key services. 

The local authority faces a £20 million deficit next year without increasing bills or making cuts. 

Council leader Andrew Husband vowed to “think outside the box” to come up with innovative solutions in tackling the ongoing funding difficulties. 

Speaking at a cabinet meeting, he said Reform UK’s leadership priorities include growing the council tax-paying population, increasing job opportunities, and expanding the availability of good quality housing to achieve more wealth and prosperity, “particularly if we are to avoid or limit having to increase council tax in line with government expectations”. 

“A freeze is something we are trying to achieve,” he added.  

Since taking control of the council in May, Reform UK has cut projects as part of an ongoing spending review, including previous investments in net zero. Darren Grimes, deputy leader, added: “We have been getting under the bonnet, reviewing contracts, stripping out costs and binning expensive gimmicks.”

Earlier this year, Cllr Husband urged the Government to improve its current finance system due to the disproportionate burden on council taxpayers. He vowed to fight for fair funding reforms but warned of “pretty stark choices” between council tax increases and cuts to vital local services.

Cllr Grimes told councillors: “We face tough choices to balance service reductions against tax rises if Westminster refuses to fund the services.

“Let no one say that reform is itching to actually raise people’s bills. Our starting point is incredibly simple: we want to ring out waste, protect the frontline, and fight for a fair deal from Westminster.

“If, after all that, a minimum rise is unavoidable, then residents should take it for what it is: a government-designed social care levy landing on their council tax, not some local vanity project.”

Further scrutiny of the council’s spending plans and future budgets will take place over the autumn and winter before a final decision next year. 

Cllr Husband added: “We want to have a different approach to balancing the budget, and a grown-up conversation and transparency in the decisions we make. We will need to be prudent in our capital investment decisions and place greater scrutiny on this going forward. 

“It is clear to me that without further investment and a different approach to help the council and the wider sector, then cuts will inevitably need to be made going forward. 

“Given the scale of the financial challenge we face, it is important we have a well-managed medium term financial plan process to help us address these challenges, but is also important that we think outside the box.”