Autumn can be a busy time for those of us who keep a close eye on politics, as councils across the country start setting out their financial plans for the year ahead.
Council tax is set every year by local authorities to raise money for things like rubbish collection, street lighting, parks and libraries.
I have covered local councils and their budgets for more than a decade, and over that time it has become almost expected that our bills will rise by 4.99% each year – with 2% of that protected for adult social care.
Any increase higher than this requires a referendum or special government approval.
That is what happened in Bradford in 2025, when council tax bills rose by almost 10% to help deal with the impact of cuts from the government, debt and demand for services.
As central funding has reduced, many Labour-led authorities have argued they have been left with no other option to produce a balanced budget (a legal requirement).
But in September, Calderdale Council’s new Reform UK leader Dan Sutherland told me he would “absolutely commit” to not putting up council tax by the full amount permitted next year.
So how could he do it – and at what price for the council and its services?
