Taxpayers’ in Bromley could be set to see a hike in their bills next year as government cuts put pressure on councils to find cash.

Bromley Council’s executive will consider its financial plans next week, including proposals to up council tax by just under three per cent, ahead of a final sign-off later this month.

Another increase of just under two per cent, which is specifically for adult social care – would see taxpayers’ pay just under five per cent more from April.

The latest budget for next year, which is yet to be finalised, assumes an increase of four point nine per cent for 2019/2020.

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It comes following the government’s financial settlement review, outlining how much cash Westminster will be handing down to local authorities over the next four years.

According to a new report, set to be signed off next week: “As part of the Local Government Finance Settlement 2019/20, the government’s funding reductions assume that councils could raise alternative funding, to partly offset grant reductions, from council tax increases and utilisation of the adult social care precept. The financial forecast reflects that approach.

“The budget strategy has to be set within the context of a reducing resource base, with government funding reductions likely to continue beyond 2020.

“The council has had to take significant action to reduce the cost base while protecting priority front line services and providing sustainable longer term solutions. Council tax has been kept low compared with other councils.”

Years of government austerity measures have meant Bromley Council has had more than £90m taken out of its budget per year – but Bromley remains “debt-free”.

The council is set to file a balanced budget this year, but needs to find savings of over £40m over the next four years.

Bromley has the second lowest settlement funding per head, compared to the rest of the capital, despite being London’s biggest borough with a large elderly population.

The council’s director of finance, Peter Turner, wrote to the Ministry of Local Government last month lobbying for a fairer settlement in the next four-year cycle of funding.

His letter, published with the council’s financial plans, said: “Local government has borne the brunt of austerity and savings compared with other areas of government expenditure.

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“Despite the announcements that ‘austerity is over’, local government funding remains ‘unprotected’ and the impact of additional funding for the NHS and other services results in likely real-term funding reductions remaining for local government.”

The director pointed out increasing pressures, paired with a growing population, on homelessness, adult social care and children’s budgets.

He said in his letter: “With increasing demand for services, immense pressure on adult and children’s social care costs, rising population, the significant impact of homelessness pressures and increasing inflation level, it is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain the scale of funding reductions imposed on us.

“If central government is not prepared to increase the total of centrally allocated resources, it needs to give local government greater control over its own resources, enhancing its range of revenue raising capabilities and remove ring fencing of remaining grant funding.”

Bromley will file its balanced budget at a full council meeting later this month, where council tax will be formally signed off.