Photo Credit: Robert Linsdell (Creative Commons)
By Patrick Barlow
Salford Council has today (February 23) voted to further increase council tax in order to cover a pay rise for care workers.
The council, who met today at a special meeting to approve the 4% rise, has committed to paying all of the borough’s 4,000 care workers the Real Living Wage of £9.90 per hour from April.
As a result of the decision, those living in Band D housing will see their tax payments rise by around £22 a year.
Salford Mayor Paul Dennett, speaking to the MEN, said that the council were ‘doing everything they could’, but that increasing council tax was absolutely necessary.
He added: “The reality is we can’t do all of this without increasing the council tax.”
The council tax rise includes a 1.99% increase in the general levy, the maximum allowed without holding a local referendum.
The rise will also be used to tackle a range of cost pressures facing the city in the coming year.
Councillor Bill Hinds, Lead Member for Finance and Support added: “The pandemic and the cost of living increases have fuelled challenging times for everyone in the city.
“In taking decisions about the budget we recognise the impact on the lowest paid and using everything we have available to us to direct support to tackle poverty.”