'Heartbreaking' plans to raise council tax by up to 11%

A cash-strapped council is in talks with the government to raise its tax by 11%, more than double the permitted limit.

Somerset Council leader Bill Revans said it was a "heartbreaking" decision, but a hike of 11% is "one of the options" being discussed, which would see the average Band D household bill increase from £1,857 to £2,060.

The authority's tax rates are below the national average, but officials warned its spending could go £73m over budget this year as costs to look after elderly and disabled adults and children's services rise.

Revans said councillors are being forced to make "very difficult decisions" to balance the books.

Somerset Council's tax increases are normally limited to 5%, but the authority has not kept up with rising costs.

In February 2025, the council was allowed to increase tax by 7.49%, some other areas in the UK have been given a 10% limit.

Revans told BBC Radio Somerset council tax is one of the "moving parts" when it comes to setting the budget.

"It's a really difficult and heartbreaking decision to have to make.

"Balancing of how much we put up council tax by, what services we cut, whether we can find efficiencies, all in the face of rising demand for adult social care, children's social care, homelessness, all the costs of those services are going up, which means we've got to make difficult decisions elsewhere.

"It's a balance," he added.

Paul Barltrop, the BBC's West of England political editor, said the council has told the government the county's tax levels are actually below the national average, and a rise of 11% would bring the region in line.

Mr Barltrop added a number of councils are asking the government for a large increase in tax, including North Somerset, and believed the government is sympathetic to those authorities with lower than average tax levels.

But councillor Diogo Rodrigues, the Conservative opposition leader, said residents "are being treated as a bottomless source of cash to cover poor decision-making at Liberal Democrat-run County Hall".

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