District council approves tax freeze for all Mansfield households

Mansfield Council rubber-stamped the move during its latest full council meeting.

It means people living in ‘band A’ homes, which make up the majority of Mansfield households, will continue to pay the council £129.81 from April, with the average ‘band D’ home will continue to pay £194.72 per year.

It is the second successive year the authority has frozen its precepts and comes as the council looks to help residents during the cost of living crisis.

However, the freeze does not mean residents in Mansfield will not pay more when their overall council tax bills arrive in March.

Conservative-run Nottinghamshire Council is proposing a 4.84 per cent rise on its portion of the bill – the largest share – working out at about £53 more for band A homes, while Nottinghamshire Fire Authority, which prepares budgets for the fire service, is also proposing a £5 increase for all homes.

Caroline Henry, Nottinghamshire police and crime commissioner, is yet to outline her plans for the policing share of the bill.

Mansfield Council’s decision follows a higher-than-expected Government settlement for the coming financial year which helped to reduce its financial black hole.

The authority had initially expected a gap of £1.9 million in 2023/24, but this was reduced to £1.339m following last month’s Whitehall announcement.

The gaps are fuelled by £332,000 in extra electricity costs and a further £254,000 in gas increases fuelled by the ongoing energy crisis.

The council has also been required to pay out £802,000 in extra staff wages following a nationally agreed £1,925 rise for all council employees in England.

Coun Craig Whitby, council cabinet member for finance, told the meeting: “Last year, members supported our motion to declare a cost-of-living emergency.

“With no end in sight to the current economic pressures our residents face, we’ve taken the decision to freeze our element of the council tax for a second consecutive year.

“This is not a decision taken lightly and I’m acutely aware of the pressures it will have on the future revenue of the council, but we are in a situation where our residents are counting for every single penny so we have decided the time is right to extend the freeze.”