An increase in council tax will help fund a budget to invest for tomorrow and help those needing care today, Staffordshire County Council bosses have said.
The authority approved a financial plan for 2022-23 which will see it increase the precept – its share of the overall council tax bill – by 2.99%.
Of that figure 1% will be ring fenced for social care funding.
As well as meeting the rising cost of care, Cllr Alan White, leader of Staffordshire County Council, said the agreed budget would also allow for investment in physical and digital infrastructure for business, schools and skills training.
“Our economy underpins everything in Staffordshire and we will carry on our successful strategy of investing in job creation as we know that pays dividends – people with good jobs live longer, healthier, more independent lives.
“Since 2014, our Economic Growth Programme has delivered more than 10,000 jobs and work will continue this year at several landmark sites across the county, as well as investing in skills training and broadband.”
Cllr Alan White, Staffordshire County Council
The budget also sees an additional £15million set aside for road repairs, while £40million will go towards public health schemes to tackle issues such as sexual health and addiction.
But the majority of the county council’s expenditure – around two-thirds – will be on the provision of adult social care and aiding children in vulnerable families.
“Supporting older people is an essential duty, but the reality is that as more of us live for longer, the cost of that support is mounting and it is increasingly difficult for councils to sustain from local taxation.
“The Government’s planned increase in National Insurance Levy is intended to support adult social care, but for the time being that money is being used for the NHS and we have to carry on funding it from council tax.
“We also know that plans to cap care spending at £86,000 per person means that more people will be eligible for their care to be funded by the Council and there will be higher costs from providers.
“There has to be a long term national solution to social care and a settlement spanning several years would let us plan for the future rather than 12 months at a time.”
Cllr Alan White, Staffordshire County Council
The 2.99% increase will see the average Band D property pay 78p more a week on the county council’s portion of the council tax bill.
