Over 3,700 residents from across Somerset have signed a letter organised by the Conservative opposition group calling on the Liberal Democrat administration to give the public a say on any council tax increase above the 4.99% referendum limit.
Councillor Diogo Rodrigues, Leader of the Opposition at Somerset Council, raised the issue in an Executive Council meeting following confirmation that the Government had blocked the administration’s request to increase council tax by more than 11%, a rise that would have added over £200 to many household bills.
Cllr Rodrigues said:
“Over 3,700 people across Somerset signed our letter calling on the administration to give residents a say on any council tax increase above 4.99%. I thank every single person who signed and backed our campaign. The people of Somerset have fired a clear warning shot at this administration, get your house in order before you come after theirs.”
Permission Refused
The Liberal Democrat administration had sought permission from Government to increase council tax above the referendum limit, but that request was refused.
Cllr Rodrigues welcomed the decision, saying it would provide relief for households already facing significant cost pressures. He said, “The Government’s decision to block this request gives hard-working Somerset families and pensioners some breathing space, for now. The administration wanted to impose an 11% rise, adding more than £200 to council tax bills, but only if it could be done under the cover of a Government decision.”
Despite the refusal, Somerset Council still faces a reported £33 million budget gap. Cllr Rodrigues questioned the administration’s approach, arguing that if they genuinely believed a higher rise was necessary, they should have been prepared to put the question directly to residents rather than seeking Government approval first.
Give People a Say
He concluded by calling for a clear commitment from the administration saying, “Before any future proposal to increase council tax above the 4.99% referendum limit, Somerset residents must be given a say. Decisions of this scale should not be passed upwards in the hope someone else will take responsibility.”
The administration responded by saying that the the government has limited the increase in council tax this year to 4.99%.
