TOWN Hall chiefs are set to back a 2.99 per cent council tax increase.

The medium-term financial strategy for 2022-2025, along with the revenue and capital budget for 2022-23, will come before St Helens Council’s cabinet at its meeting next Wednesday.

The cabinet is set to recommend to full council to approve a 2.99 per cent council tax increase, which would include a one per cent adult social care precept.

If approved, the changes will mean an annual council tax bill of £1,625.99 for Band D properties – excluding parish precepts.

Members are also set to recommend to full council to approve the medium-term financial strategy.

A document which will come before the cabinet says increasing council tax will provide "sustainable income" to the council, which will help to protect the delivery of statutory functions and other vital services at a time of "increasing service demands".

In her report to members, Cath Fogarty, executive director of corporate services, says it is imperative that the savings options previously agreed are progressed in 2022/23 and over the medium term in order to provide a balanced budget for 2022/23 and to reduce the forecast future funding gaps.

She said: “Work will be undertaken during 2022/23 that will be pivotal in developing the strategies and actions to protect the council’s financial and operational stability over the longer term and reports will be presented to cabinet in the next financial year to agree future actions.

St Helens Star:

“The council has ambitious capital plans over the medium term and a number of strategic capital schemes have been identified for 2022/23, alongside pipeline schemes for future years.

“These include investment in highway and property assets, regeneration of the borough and its localities, and invest to save schemes.”

Ms Fogarty also says the potential capital funding profile of these plans for the council are estimated at a value in excess of £150 million over the period 2022-2025.

She adds: “The council’s financial strategy is to build its level of reserves over time to ensure both future long term sustainability and sufficient resources are available to provide resilience from the uncertainties in Government funding and finance reform, and future changes in the council’s pension position.

“The creation of the new pension reserve will provide the council with the opportunity to realise future savings from the prepayment of pension liabilities to Merseyside Pension Fund following the actuarial revaluation of the Pension Fund.”