COUNCIL Tax is likely to rise on the Wirral again as council officers prepare the local authority’s proposed budget for next year. However, some concerns were raised by the council’s Conservatives who sought assurances any rise wasn’t already set in stone.

Local authorities are required to set their budgets for the next financial year by March with the final vote usually taking place at the end of February. This budget outlines what the council plans to spend money on over the next year but also what it needs to cut back.

In recent years, Wirral Council has often made cuts to its budget in order to balance the books as it dealt with rising inflation and historical financial issues. It also continues to face rising pressures within its children’s and health services, two areas where the council cannot legally cut back on its budget.

Going forward, officers asked councillors to approve a report at a Policy and Resources committee meeting on July 17 that set out some assumptions they’ll be making in relation to the budget. This includes a Council Tax increase of 2.99%, a 3% inflation increase within social care services, 2% increase in pay costs and contract inflation, a £2m contribution to its back up reserves, and the use of Wirral Growth Company profits to offset charges for its new £75m offices.

However, Cllr Jeff Green raised concerns about the council assuming Council Tax would go up. Director of finance Matthew Bennett said councillors weren’t agreeing to Council Tax going up but added: “The council’s financial position is such that I do not see any circumstance where the Council Tax could not be increased given the pressures we face at this point in time.”

Cllr Steve Foulkes said it was fair, adding: “The assumption has been made in the realism of what the world will be like post 14 years Tory government.” Cllr Green in response said: “I thought we were going to get all this money from the new government that you’ve been promising all these years so maybe it should be a reduction.”

At the same meeting, councillors were also asked to consider a report on both town halls, approve a move of council meetings back to Wallasey Town Hall, as well as move forward future work on the options for both Birkenhead and Wallasey Town Halls. This was ultimately approved by all councillors except one who abstained.

Green councillors had put forward that the council’s new offices in Birkenhead were explored as future venues for council meetings but this was voted down. A council report suggested at least £3m would need to be found to adapt the buildings for council meetings and other services.

Referring to the offices, Cllr Jo Bird said it was “like taking out a huge mortgage to build two new lovely spacious homes” but not use them, instead going for “an expensive, dysfunctional, mothballed, old hotel.” The party raised issues around heating as well as public transport.

Other councillors however, argued the closure of Wallasey Town Hall in 2023 was only ever temporary and recent security issues at Birkenhead had led Chief Executive Officer Paul Satoor to decide to move back to Wallasey in order to protect staff and elected members.

This was after a number of protests at meetings over the Israel-Palestine conflict, claims of abuse directed towards councillors, and comments made to council staff. Wirral Council leader Paul Stuart alongside members from other parties criticised the Green Party for their suggestion, arguing the Green Party had aligned themselves with protestors. Cllr Steve Foulkes said “appalling behaviour” had been encouraged by statements that had been made.

Cllr Stuart said comments couldn’t go unchallenged, adding: “To try to conflate safety and security of our staff and elected members into a finance issue and carbon emissions is disingenuous because what I would say to you is you name the price you think our staff are worth.

“What price are you going to put a cap on to say that we shouldn’t spend any more than that to keep our staff safe?”

Cllr Bird earlier in the meeting said the criticism was an “unreasonable smear,” adding: “By all means raise a standards complaint if you’re saying that factions of other parties have encouraged unreasonable behaviour by members of the public holding politicians to account for their actions.”