Local authority share of council tax to go up 4.5%
Wiltshire Council's share of overall council tax in the county is set to rise by a less-than-expected 4.5%.
The local authority has also been given the go-ahead to increase spending on essential services by £37m in its budget for the year ahead.
Following a marathon eight-hour debate at County Hall in Trowbridge, the Conservative council's budget was passed with 58 votes for, with 22 against and three abstentions.
Opposition Liberal Democrats described it as "cynical", accusing the Tory administration of holding off on future increases in council tax and parking charges because of the upcoming local elections.
The upper limit for an increase in a local authority's share of overall council tax - not including other charges from the police, fire service, and parish councils - is 4.99%.
The 4.5% increase for 2025/6 does not take into account the rise in the Wiltshire Police precept of £1.16 per month, or any rises in Wiltshire town council or parish rates.
Speaking ahead of the council vote, council leader Richard Clewer said: "Unlike pretty much every council surrounding us, I'm coming in today with a budget that is balanced.
"I'm proposing a 4.5% [increase] - I wish it could be lower but that's what I need to deliver the critical services we need to deliver."
The £37m increase in spending means that the council's overall budget will rise from £490m last year to £527m.
But the council says it has been impacted by already announced cuts and changes to grant schemes, which have resulted in the authority receiving £7m less than expected in central government funds.
Despite the passage of the budget, the leader of the opposition Liberal Democrats, councillor Ian Thorn, voiced his scepticism as to the budget's success: "Tremendously worrying news around potential debts that we face.
"Tens of millions of pounds on issues around young children and learning disabilities, massive pressures around adults and social care - there are real pressures that this council faces.
"It's quite a cynical budget, council tax isn't going up the full amount this year but is due to go up by the full amount next year, car parking charges not going up this year but will be going up next year.
"There must be something important happening this year – it could be the election of course."
The Liberal Democrats were criticised by other councillors for presenting no amendments, something Thorn justified by saying they would likely have been rejected by the Conservative administration, and were therefore "a waste of time".
Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.
PCC gives more details on police precept rise
Council set to spend extra £37m under budget plan
Council's adult social care services rated 'good'
Wiltshire Council
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
3 hours ago
- New York Post
Ousted Dem ‘super mayor' charges whopping price tag for tell-all book while dodging legal troubles
The embattled former Chicago suburb 'super mayor' has announced her latest business venture as her legal woes continue to pile up following a tumultuous time in office. Tiffany Henyard, the former Democratic mayor of Dolton, has announced she is peddling a 'tell-all' autobiography, titled 'Standing on Business.' In a Facebook post, the disgraced politician vowed 'the real story is coming' while sharing a link to pre-order the book – which boasts a price tag of $99 and is reportedly the first of a three-part series – from a self-publishing website. 'From mommy moves to making history, [Henyard] is not just showing up,' she wrote. 'She's standing on business.' However, the former mayor's constituents appeared less than pleased, taking their opinions online to voice their skepticism of Henyard's latest business venture. 'Still trying to hustle money!' one commenter said in the Dolton Politics Facebook Page. 'Michelle Obama's bestseller was cheaper than this mess,' another poster wrote. 'The unmitigated gal!' Henyard's attorneys did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Henyard's announcement comes as she faces several legal woes stemming from her time as Dolton mayor and Thornton Township supervisor after her reelection bid proved unsuccessful. 3 Former Dolton mayor Tiffany Henyard announced on Facebook that she is writing an autobiography titled, 'Standing on Business.' FOX News Earlier this month, Henyard pleaded the Fifth in a court hearing over a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit from her time at the helm. 'The smear campaign against Tiffany Henyard, which began while she was in office, continues even now that she is out of office,' her attorney, Beau Bridley, previously said in a statement to Fox News Digital. Henyard was previously held in contempt of court after she failed to hand over public documents related to the lawsuit. 3 Henyard received controversy on social media from her former constituents amid her ongoing legal issues. FOX News Her attorney subsequently acknowledged the former mayor does not have the requested documents, with an Illinois judge ruling Henyard's legal team can submit an affidavit in its place. 'The mayor has no document that the plaintiff seeks,' Bridley said. 'This matter is going to be resolved with a simple affidavit. The whole hearing was much ado about nothing.' 3 The Dolton Politics Facebook page received comments such as one saying, 'Still trying to hustle money!' with another commenter replying, 'The unmitigated gal!' FOX News The lawsuit was initially filed by the Edgar County Watchdogs Inc. in response to the organization suing Henyard and the Village of Dolton for failing to produce financial records after the documents were requested under federal FOIA laws. 'We had little doubt Ms. Henyard would use losing the election as an excuse not to produce the documents,' Edward 'Coach' Weinhaus, attorney for Edgar County Watchdogs, previously said in a statement to Fox News Digital. 'Invoking the Fifth Amendment for a criminal investigation was an added wrinkle. The Watchdogs will keep looking for the documents even if the voters might have inadvertently thrown out the documents with the mayor.' Henyard initially made national headlines in April 2024 after officials in her administration were served with subpoenas from the FBI in response to an alleged corruption investigation, FOX 32 Chicago reported. Henyard, however, was never charged. In response to the FBI's investigation, village trustees voted to hire former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightful to investigate Henyard's spending during her time as mayor, with the meeting spiraling into chaos as Henyard's supporters clashed with her opponents. The financial probe reportedly revealed the village's bank account fell from its initial $5.6 million balance to a $3.6 million deficit. Earlier this year, Henyard subsequently lost the city's mayoral primary to Jason House, who was sworn into office in May. On the same day of her election loss, federal authorities slapped the Village of Dolton with a subpoena demanding records tied to a land development project allegedly tied to Henyard's boyfriend. Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
Business Wire
4 hours ago
- Business Wire
Nissan Motor Acceptance Company Submits Application to Form Nissan Bank U.S., LLC
FRANKLIN, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nissan Motor Acceptance Company (NMAC), the financial services arm of Nissan North America, has submitted an application to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Utah Department of Financial Institutions to form Nissan Bank U.S., LLC, an industrial bank headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. The proposed Bank will focus on commercial financing for dealerships—enhancing the services currently provided by NMAC while enabling greater efficiency, competitive rates, and a deeper ability to serve Nissan, INFINITI, and non-Nissan dealerships across the United States. In addition to operational efficiencies, the Bank is intended to strengthen support for independent, locally owned dealerships—many of which serve as vital small businesses in communities across the country. 'For over 40 years, NMAC has supported our dealer network with stable, relationship-driven financing,' said Kevin Cullum, president of NMAC. 'Forming Nissan Bank U.S. gives us greater flexibility to serve dealers more efficiently and competitively—so they can better serve their customers. It also deepens our support for locally owned dealerships, many of which are small businesses that anchor their communities. From small towns to major markets, this Bank will help dealers access the tools they need to grow—while reinforcing our long-term investment in the U.S. market.' The Bank will leverage NMAC's commercial lending expertise and long-standing relationships with more than 1,200 dealerships. Its charter would allow for more flexible and cost-effective financing options, empowering dealers to better serve their customers. In addition, the Bank intends to uphold Nissan's strong legacy of community investment by supporting financial literacy, affordable housing, and economic development initiatives in Utah and beyond. Consumer auto loans will continue to be offered directly by NMAC. The formation of the Bank is subject to regulatory approval. Nissan worked closely with their advisors, Klaros Group, and counsel, Covington and Burling, in preparing the application. For more information about our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X(Twitter) and LinkedIn and see all our latest videos on YouTube.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Rechie Valdez makes history with cabinet position: 'People aren't used to someone who looks like me'
Many of us who watched Prime Minister Mark Carney's swearing-in ceremony on the morning of May 13 most likely noticed that when Rechie Valdez took the oath as Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Small Business (WAGE), she was overcome with emotion. 'It was a profound moment for me,' Valdez tells Yahoo! via Zoom from her office in Ottawa. Valdez became the first Filipino-Canadian woman elected to Parliament and cabinet minister. 'My husband and children were in the room, but more than that, my parents were watching from Mississauga,' she says. 'They had uprooted their lives twice: from the Philippines to Zambia, and then later from Zambia to Canada. They made incredible sacrifices to give my brother and me a better life — so during the swearing-in, all of the memories of that sacrifice just came rushing back.' The Prime Minister personally approached Valdez to take on the responsibility. 'When he contacted me and asked me if I would take on the role, I was profoundly taken aback and in tears. I was also jumping for joy,' she says, throwing her arms in the air to demonstrate her internal reaction at the time. 'But I calmly said, 'Thank you for the opportunity, Prime Minister,'' she adds, laughing. The department of WAGE was previously aligned with Youth under Marci Ien, until she resigned on March 7. Then, after Carney was sworn in on March 14 (after former Justin Trudeau stepped down), the department was downgraded under the ministry of Canadian Heritage helmed by Stephen Guilbeaut. Many women's right activists, including former minister Marci Ien herself, were taken aback at the Carney government's initial decision to cut the ministry and called the move a significant setback for women. Weeks before the April 28 election, there was a lot of lobbying and back channel movement going on behind the scenes to bring the ministry back if the Liberals won the election — something Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre likely wouldn't have done had he won. But all of that is in the past, and Valdez is focused on the future. This time, instead of being aligned with Youth, Small Business has been added to the file — something that fits Valdez, previously the minister of Small Business — really well. 'I think this alignment of WAGE to Small Business is a profound opportunity because, while it's a very social portfolio in that it advocates for women and gender-diverse people, it also creates empowerment for these people through our economy,' she says. Valdez, who says she faced many challenges in her own experience as a visible minority woman entering the workforce as a corporate banker, and later, as an entrepreneur. 'The journey was difficult and I know what it feels like,' she says. With the new ministry, Valdez wants to make it her mandate to help women and gender-diverse people see their power and true potential. That's why the economic slant is especially vital in our times, she says. 'What we're seeing down south with the rollback of DEI [Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion], it's very scary and worrisome to us,' Valdez emphasizes. 'Women are afraid, and 2SLGBTQ+ people are afraid because we've made so much progress in our country. You simply cannot be the strongest economy in the G7 without the inclusion of women and gender-diverse people,' she says, adding dryly: 'We only make up half the population.' Being the former Minister of Small Business also gives her a unique perspective. 'I think our women entrepreneurship strategy, for example, is truly an investment,' she says. 'It can actually even prevent gender-based violence because it's empowering. Meeting with many women entrepreneurs across the country, and seeing the impact they have within their community will have a ripple effect.' Valdez is excited about working across the different provincial and territorial governments, and bringing inclusivity to rural and remote communities. 'As we roll these programs out, it does go down to that individual woman and gender-diverse person; that entrepreneur on the ground. That's my number one job as the communicator of the things we're doing at the federal level.' Valdez, was at one time, that entrepreneur on the ground herself. Long before the 45-year-old got into politics, she worked for the financial sector. 'I had never had dreams nor had ever envisioned myself as a politician,' she says. What changed for Valdez was when her daughter, Cassidy, turned a year old. 'That's when I made her first birthday cake,' she remembers. 'I'll never forget it because I felt like I had found a creative passion.' She turned the passion into a small business. 'It was an incredible journey building my business from the ground up for the world to see,' she says. 'It was a way to find my voice.' What Valdez learned at that time is something she brings with her in her role as minister of WAGE. 'The thing about being a sole proprietor entrepreneur is that if you work on an island, you're setting yourself up to fail.' She realized there was strength in collaboration and reached out via social media, creating events and opportunities for other entrepreneurs. 'I saw the value of bringing community together.' She sees her new role as an extension of that. 'It allows me to advocate for the larger community and be the voice for the voiceless,' she says. What makes Valdez a unique voice is that there hasn't been a Filipino voice in federal politics for 17 years. 'Being the only Filipino out of almost a million Filipinos in the country, and being that voice to stand up for the things that matter to me is so important to me,' she says. As someone who has experienced both racism and sexism on a daily basis at times, Valdez feels she is in the best position to understand the plight of those afflicted by the same. 'It's not something that happens just once in a while,' she says. 'I definitely experienced both, especially online. Whether it's hate, misogyny, being a person of colour, and even just being a person on the hill every day, it can be a challenge because people aren't used to someone who looks like me,' she explains. 'I would be stopped and ID'd on a regular basis even though I'm a federal minister — that's pretty telling.' That's why representation is so important, she says. 'It's about facing those challenges head on.' Whether it's hate, misogyny, being a person of colour, and even just being a person on the hill every day, it can be a challenge. When it comes to women and gender equality, Valdez believes we have come a long way, but that we also have a long way to go. 'I was recently at a conference that had to do with trades,' she says. 'I was pleasantly surprised when one of the members of the trade groups came up to me and said he was excited about WAGE. He said he's seen the impact women are making in trades and the support they're getting from the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), like the Canada Child Benefit, and others. They've seen the impact for women who choose trades as a future career. These are the opportunities in a place I would never expect, and that's the impact of WAGE.' Valdez's main priorities for the department will be gender-based violence and advancing economic justice for women and gender-diverse people. 'We can't just stop at crisis response — we really need that structural change,' she asserts. 'We also want to ensure that Canada leads in this space. Gender equality isn't just a social issue, it's imperative to our economy and to the sustainability of our country. Marci Ien handed me a beautiful baton, but there is still much more work to do.'
