Sandwell Council's five per cent council tax rise is biggest in West Midlands

Sandwell Council had originally planned the figure to be 3.99 per cent alongside cost-cutting measures to plug a £14.6 million black hole.

But at meeting on Tuesday councillors backed a 4.99 per cent increase with three per cent of this earmarked for adult social care.

Councils in Walsall, Staffordshire and Wolverhampton have all backed 2.99 increases while Dudley is expected to sign off on the same increase on Monday.

It means Sandwell residents will be facing the highest tax increase in all of the region.

Budget measures were voted in by the Labour leadership on Tuesday evening and include an increase in garage rent by 50 per cent, an £80,000 cut of grants to the Sandwell Council of Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), and minor cuts to adult social care.

Kerrie Carmichael, leader of Sandwell Council, said: “There are people who will tell you that council budgets are easy, that you can slash here and cut there with no impact. That you can do it all for less and less.

“They are wrong. There are no easy decisions […] This administration the choices that provide security and opportunity will always pay the right decisions. And we will deliver what we saw from the amazing Sandwell Aquatics Centre, to our response to Covid, our libraries, and our children services.

"Time and again we have shown what we mean, what we say, and what we will do. We are we are on the same side as Sandwell residents, We never forget who we work for."

But in the same meeting, an alternative budget by the Conservatives was proposed as an amendment to the outcry of Labour councillors – many of whom claimed they were only aware of the alternative budget at the start of the meeting.

Proposals in the alternative budget included a council tax increase of 3.49 per cent – 1.5 per cent less than Labour. Cuts of £130,000 to museum services via reduced opening hours or closures were also set out.

Archer Williams, interim leader of Sandwell Conservatives, said the alternative budget was in response to the “grave damage” the Labour-led local authority will do to its residents by increasing council tax.

He said: “I was very concerned when I read that our council is proposing a 4.99 percent council tax increase. I agree with you that we certainly need to create funds for important projects for our borough.

“However, we also need to consider that it is our duty to not impose any further hardship on the good people of Sandwell.

“Other local authorities such as Walsall and Birmingham have announced only a 2.99 percent council tax increase.

“We do feel that the current council leadership has not provided a reasonable and justifiable explanation on why there is this sudden need to increase the council tax to unprecedented levels.

“This is appalling and worrying. This is far beyond what our neighbouring local authorities are doing.

“Taking this into account, these local authorities sadly have better and more efficient services than the ones provided by Sandwell council.

“We would like to invite the Labour leadership to take a step back, reflect, and think about the grave damage that they are inflicting with their continuous poor decision making.”

Councillor Williams also claimed the mismanagement of One Providence Place – sold at a £22.5 million loss by Sandwell Council - could have frozen council tax by five years.

But many Labour councillors questioned why the Conservatives had only proposed the budget at the meeting, and not during budget and corporate scrutiny management boards.

Councillor Bob Piper said: “I think it’s highly regrettable they expect the council to make a decision when councillor Gill sends out an email.

“It seems when an email is sent out by the Conservatives they expect the world to come to a stop for them.

“I think it’s regrettable that they expect us to make a decision on what Councillor Gill has said is the most important issue of the entire year, when they give three hours notice.”

They also criticised the potential closure of museums across Sandwell, which the Conservatives vehemently denied.

Councillor Maria Crompton said: “I’m sorry, but it clearly states: ‘A combination of reduced opening hours or closures’, now that is clear in black and white.

“No one want to raise taxes in any way, shape, or form. But the government has reduce the income of councils that’s given out over so many year, so we have had to raise more and more council tax in order to provide assistance to our residents.”

The increase now means Sandwell residents in a Band D property will now pay £1,575.88 a year in council tax, with the sum being £1,500.98 last year.