Worcestershire County Council is set to apply to the Government for permission to raise its council tax above the 5% maximum limit.
Financial pressures at the Reform minority administration council have prompted the move, according to a report being discussed by cabinet members on Thursday.
While the council has ‘previously tried to keep council tax as low as possible’, details the report, this situation is ‘no longer a sustainable policy given the pressures we are facing’, especially in meeting its adult and children’s social care commitments.
The move to increase council tax above the maximum limit follows the council’s application earlier this month to the Government for Exceptional Funding Support. It has already received £33.6m to balance its 2025/26 budget and used £15m of its reserves.
The council is facing a funding gap of £73.9m for 2026/27, which is set to total £272.6m by 2028/29.
The council report notes that its departments are ‘undertaking work to identify’ cuts and concedes that ‘any further savings proposals are expected to have significant impacts on residents, partners and staff, as well as the organisation’s capacity to respond to new demands and transform services’.
The council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for finance and corporate services, Rob Wharton, said that ‘the financial challenge’ of meeting social care costs ‘continues to intensify’.
He added that ‘we are considering what increase in council tax rates will be put forward’ with a decision taken by the council in February.
Adam Kent, the leader of Worcestershire County Council’s opposition Conservative group, said he is concerned about any decision to ‘massively hike council tax’ coupled with cuts to services.
