A RISE in council tax would help to cover the rising costs of adult social care, according to Worcestershire’s council chief.
Coun Adrian Hardman, leader of Worcestershire County Council, told the Observer the Government’s announcement allowing local authorities to raise council tax by two per cent to fund adult social care is something they will consider.
Next year the county council is expected to spend £127million on adult social care, but as Worcestershire’s population gets older a further £4million will need to be found to plug the gap.
The council leader is pleased Chancellor George Osborne listened to the concerns from local authorities who lobbied the Government to take action over the country’s growing adult social care bills.
“We will look at that carefully, we have a lot of pressure in adult social care,” Coun Hardman said.
“We are pleased the Government has responded to our lobbying and we have been lobbying on this important issue.
“There is still more detail to come in the Local Government Finance settlement.
Coun Hardman also told the Observer a council tax increase would plug the demographic gap, but no decision has yet been made on whether the county’s resident’s bills will rise.
“If the County Council does raise council tax by the proposed two per cent, it would mean a 3.5 per cent rise, it’s something we would carefully consider,” he added.
“We would cover that cost, but ideally we would want more money in the system.”
