Salisbury City Council budget: Tax could increase next year

Salisbury City Council shared its draft budget for 2024/25 with residents at The Guildhall on Monday, December 4. 

The draft comes after a budget consultation process which took place during August and September.

Officers and councillors had hoped to hear concerns from the public on the budget for the upcoming year - but very few people turned up. 

READ MORE: 'I’m obviously disappointed': Very few people turn up for council budget consultation

Councillor Victoria Charleston announced that the precept could rise by up to 75p per week in April 2024.

The indicative figure announced at the sparsely attended public meeting would equate to an extra £39 per year for a band D household.

This means that those who pay Band D council tax may have to pay £374 from April 2024, a rise of just over 11 per cent of the current charge of £335 per year.

This comes after last year's budget proved controversial, specifically the £102 rise in the council tax precept for some residents. 

This led to two parish meetings, where residents were able to voice their opposition to the budget, before a city-wide referendum on was held to decide whether the people of Salisbury would support a five per cent cap on future increases to the Salisbury City Council precept and a parish consultation if any proposed increase is larger than five per cent.

Cllr Charleston told the Journal the city council’s total expenditures for the 2024/2025 year are expected to be slightly more than £7.5m, compared to a budget of just under £7m in the preceding year.

Cllr Charleston said: “It is absolutely our priority to keep the precept as low as possible for our residents whilst delivering the services that they want, and that is the balance that we’ve got to do and that’s the tension the councillors are struggling with at all times.”