Oldham council approves 4.99% tax hike and £8m cuts

Oldham residents face a 4.99 per cent council tax hike and £8 million in cuts after councillors approved a budget to tackle a £20 million funding gap. The increase means Band A property owners will pay £82 more annually, bringing their bill to £1,717, while Band B and C properties see rises of £95 and £109 respectively.

Council leader Arooj Shah said the borough is finally moving away from 'short-term fire fighting' its finances, thanks to three-year government funding settlements that have added £19 million to Oldham's budget. However, she stressed that without the tax increase, the council would struggle to provide essential services for vulnerable residents.

The budget includes £12 million each for adult and children's social care, road maintenance improvements, and a new £10 charge for bulky waste collection. A rapid action task force will tackle fly-tipping, while fees on nearly 900 services rise by an average of 10 per cent.

Liberal Democrat councillors criticised the administration for failing to deliver promised savings from last year's budget and not addressing the 'elephant in the room' of social care costs. Deputy leader Sam Al-Hamdani said residents deserve to see tangible improvements for their increased payments, particularly in basic services like pothole repairs.