Council tax is an important source of income by which the local authority funds important local services like rubbish collection, street cleaning and road improvement, and adult social care. Last year, Barnsley Council implemented a council tax rise of 3.9%, with half of that going to fund adult social care services and the other half going to other services.

The reality is that Barnsley Council, and other local authorities across the country, are in a very difficult financial position because of funding cuts imposed by central government. The political nature by which funding decisions have been made, with additional money being available for Conservative councils in the South of England, is disgraceful.

I have written to Barnsley Council seeking reassurance that those on the lowest income will be supported even as council tax increases at above-inflation levels. It is very important that the tax burden is fairly distributed and those with the most are paying their fair share.

More generally, the fact that the council tax bands have not been updated for many years means that, in my cases, the level of council tax does not accurately reflect the value of the property. Building a more secure council tax base should continue to be a priority for local councils.

Individual enquiries about council tax should be directed to your local councillors. You can find their contact details at here.