A 4.99 per cent rise in Council Tax has been approved by Bradford Council following a heated budget meeting that saw councillors trade sharp barbs in the chamber with the political fallout continuing online long after the vote.
Labour’s budget for the coming financial year passed with 48 votes in favour and 37 against, using the party’s council majority to secure approval. The plan includes the maximum council tax increase allowed without a referendum and relies on £78m in borrowing to help balance the books.
A 4.99 per cent rise in Council Tax was approved by Bradford Council tonight at a meeting that at times turned into a slanging match between Councillors.
The Labour Group had proposed a budget that included the maximum Council Tax rise, but avoided many of the huge cuts and unpopular price rises that have been included in recent years’ budgets.
The Green and Liberal Democrat groups proposed their own alternative budgets, also with a 4.99 per cent rise, but with some different priorities to the Labour budget.
And the Conservative budget suggested a lower, 3.99 per cent Council Tax rise, with savings made elsewhere.
With Labour having a majority on the Council, its budget passed, with 48 Councillors voting in favour of it and 37 against.
The Independent Group heavily criticised the Council’s Labour leadership and its budget, with one Councillor saying late Labour politician Tony Benn would be “ashamed” of what was being proposed.
But much was made by other parties of the fact the Bradford Independent Group failed to produce its own budget, with arguments over this proving to be the most heated moments of the lengthy meeting.
Despite the Council still facing heavy financial pressures – the Labour budget relies on £78m in borrowing as well as the 4.99 per cent tax rise, the mood was slightly more positive than last year when members voted for a 9.99 per cent tax rise.
The Council had expected to be under “exceptional financial support” where borrowing and the sale of assets is used to prop up finances – until 2029.
But a recent shake-up of how Councils are funded by central Government has given Bradford a major boost, and the coming year will be the last one the Council will have to rely on this support.
Council Leader Susan Hinchliffe said: “This budget is starting to get us out of the financial challenge and back to a point where we can invest in services people want to see.”
She said the budget will see extra money for enforcement and youth services.
Referring to the recent Government financial settlement, she said: “The Government has restored the link between deprivation and Council funding. No longer is money being sent to Tunbridge Wells from places like Bradford like Rishi Sunak once proudly declared.
“But we know we’re not out of the woods yet – we have to borrow another £78m this year, but we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
“We know every penny counts for residents, but we have to make sure the Council is still able to function properly so we can look after children in our care, care for the elderly in their homes, collect bins and keep traffic moving.
“Bradford District is doing well despite the challenges facing us. This budget helps invest in our future.”
The Greens said their budget would provide additional council tax support for households struggling with the cost of living, strengthen action against fly-tipping, and unlock brownfield land for social housing.
Liberal Democrat Leader Brendan Stubbs said: “Our amendment is about the people’s priorities, not Labour’s too little too late approach.
“People are frustrated, and there are plenty out there ready to exploit that frustration, divide our communities, and turn justified anger into something darker.”
He said investment was needed in neighbourhoods throughout the District, describing the Council’s current leadership as “a small executive obsessed with control, based in their multi million pound, city centre pet projects.”
Presenting the Conservative Budget, Councillor Mike Pollard hit back at claims many of Bradford problems had been caused by Tory austerity. He gave a brief history of recent austerity, including the financial collapse of Greece several years ago, caused by financial mismanagement. He added: “That really was austerity.”
The Conservative budget would include a slightly lower Council Tax rise – 3.99 per cent, and other measures, including a £2 surcharge on tickets sold by Bradford Theatres and the scrapping of the planned Squire Lane leisure centre, which would be replaced by a car park.
Councillor Alex Ross Shaw, Executive for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, hit back at Cllr Stubbs’ claim that the Council was focused on “pet projects” saying: “The last 12 months has been transformational. Bradford Live is up and thriving. Cllr Stubbs might call it a pet project but this week one of the biggest bands in the world, Gorillaz, is playing there for two nights. Bradford is now a significantly more attractive place to do business.”
Councillor Kamran Hussain (Lab, Toller) slammed the Independent group for being the only major party not to produce its own budget proposal.
He said: “I’m astonished with the Independent group, who out of all the groups sat here tonight are the only ones who have failed to produce a budget.”
One independent Councillor was heard shouting “It’s a waste of time.”
Cllr Hussain replied: “The residents who elected you didn’t do so for you to complain from the sidelines. They wanted solutions, something credible, but you’ve wound up empty handed.
“How can you look the people of Bradford in the eye and represent them when you haven’t done the most basic work of a Councillor.”
Councillor Sirferaz Saddiq (Bradford Independent Group) said: “This budget may be balanced on paper, but who ultimately pays the price. The balanced position for this year doesn’t mean the financial problems are resolved.
“It is not a recovery budget, it is a survival budget.”
When Labour Councillors heckled the group for not producing its own budget, one member shouted back “We don’t need a budget, it’s your job.”
Councillor Mohammed Ali Islam (Bradford Independent) said: “To paraphrase Tony Benn, ‘the way a government treats its people is the clearest sign of what it stands for.’
“This Council is asking its residents to pay the price for a lack of action. Tony Benn would be ashamed with this budget.
“Residents are being forced to pay a credit card bill they weren’t responsible for.” He then went on to quote Nelson Mandella.
Councillor Pollard also criticised the Independent group for failing to produce their own budget – arguing that as the Tories were proposing the lowest Council Tax increase, the Independents should technically be voting for their budget.
Leader of the Greens, Councillor Matt Edwards, said: “The Council has been pushed off a financial cliff because the Labour administration ignored the warning signs for years. Now residents across the District need to live with the consequences of that.”
He said he was “lost for words” at the Conservative budget – which came with three pages of notes from the Council’s independent financial officers warning of the potential dangers of their proposals. He said: “It seems your party stopped being serious a long time ago and has instead chosen headlines. This is the same economics we saw from Liz Truss.”
Referring to the lack of an Independents budget Cllr Hinchcliffe said: “You talk about choices, you chose not to bring a budget here today.
“You’ve presented no ideas here today. You say you don’t like our budget, but you haven’t produced an alternative. That’s your job. You need to show you can make the decisions for the good of the people. That is the most important decision a Council can do in this chamber.”
When it came to the vote, Councillors voted roughly along party lines, with some independents, although not those from the Bradford Independent Group, voting for the Labour budget.
Note: There have been some additions made to this article originally written by Local Democracy Reporter Chris Young
