Croydon LBC has approved a 15% council tax increase as part of a 2023-24 budget that was originally rejected.
The budget proposed by Mayor Jason Perry had failed to pass through the council last week due to opposition to the proposed tax rise.
It had been unanimously opposed by 37 Labour, Lib Dems and Green Party members, who outvoted 33 Conservative councillors.
Full council last night eventually agreed the budget proposals brought by Mayor Perry after hearing the tax increase would ‘protect vital services for vulnerable people’.
The council, which issued a section 114 notice last year, had warned it would have to make an additional £20m cuts on top of the £36m savings already included in the budget without the tax increase.
Mayor Perry said: ‘This is not a budget that I wanted to set, but it is a budget that will help us protect vital services for our residents.
'No one wants to increase council tax, but the council is delivering £36m savings this year already - we simply cannot make further cuts and continue to deliver the services our residents need.’
Croydon is continuing to negotiate with the Government for ‘further support to address its serious and unprecedented financial problems, including writing off the £1.6bn toxic debt that is hampering the council’s recovery and ability to function properly’.
This article was originally published by The MJ (£).
