East Yorkshire residents will see their council tax bills rise by 4.99% from April, as the local authority attempts to balance its budget amid financial pressures.
The increase, which includes a 2.99% hike for general services and an additional 2% for adult social care, is the maximum allowed before triggering a public referendum.
In a bid to cut costs, the council has also announced plans to reduce its workforce by 400 posts over the next two years, aiming to save up to £12 million annually.
The budget was approved by a coalition of Conservative and Independent councillors, with backing from the Yorkshire Party. The vote passed with 37 in favour, five against, and 16 abstentions.
Councillor Nigel Wilkinson, Cabinet Member for Finance, explained that the job reductions would be achieved through natural attrition, restructuring management layers, redeployment, and voluntary redundancies. The council has allocated £6.6 million to cover the costs of the redundancies.
However, not all councillors supported the budget. Liberal Democrat Councillor Denis Healy criticised it as “untenable, flimsy, and most likely unachievable.” Labour and Reform UK representatives either voted against or abstained.
Despite the job cuts, the council is moving forward with key infrastructure projects, including:
£21 million for the Jocks Lodge road improvement scheme
£18 million for the Howden Link Road
£12 million for new council vehicles
The budget comes amid rising costs and reduced central government funding, forcing local authorities across the UK to make difficult financial decisions.
