COUNCIL tax set by Salisbury City Council could increase by as much as 44 per cent.

It comes as the council is set to lay out its proposed budget for 2023/24, as well as its four year income and expenditure plan.

The prepared budgets, fees and charges are presented with approval of the administration’s group leaders and have been developed with councillors and the council’s officers.

They are intended to facilitate the delivery of council services and “provide reasonable stability against unforeseeable demands”.

The required precept for 2023/24 has been calculated as £5,152,561.30.

This is an increase in the precept of £102 or 43.8 per Band D property. Around 60 per cent of properties within the city are below Band D - most are within Band C.

Actual parish precept levels would vary from £223.33 per annum (Band A) to £670.00 per annum (Band H).

Plans also include proposals to cut the grants offered to cultural organisations in Salisbury by 50 per cent going forward.

Salisbury City Council said: "The administration group have worked hard with officers to produce a balanced budget for the next financial year.

"We are continuing to work towards the Council’s vision, supporting the city to be green and lively, a place where residents’ voices are heard, their wellbeing is improved, and sustainability is at the heart of all decisions.

"External financial pressures including increases in insurance premiums, utility charges and supplier charges have had a huge impact on the Council’s budget, just as households across Salisbury City have felt these impacts in their own lives.

"The administration has focused on cutting costs where possible without damaging service levels and keeping the precept and charge increases as low as possible in an incredibly difficult economic setting."

The city council’s Conservative group said the proposed 43.8 precept is “a damning indictment on the failed decision-making by the Labour, Lib Dem and Independent administration”.

It added: “Over the course of this year the Conservative group have constructively opposed the costly decisions that are now going to see families across the city pay over £100 a year extra (in a Band D property) for the services provided. We have opposed the hiring of new back office staff, challenged the failed implementation to bring the street scene contract in-house, and called out unnecessary expenditure on vanity projects like public art and expensive Council events.

“What we’re not seeing are critical safeguards for the most important council services including city centre security, litter enforcement and grant funding for some of our key cultural assets locally including Wiltshire Creative and the Salisbury Museum.

"These are all at risk or have already been cut. At next week’s Finance meeting, where the budget is being presented, we will continue to work with the administration to try to finally get them to bring this fiasco to an end.

“The role of the City Council is to act prudently on behalf of the residents who elect their Councillors to maintain a clean and safe city, provide parks and green spaces we can be proud of, and deliver a stronger local economy working with city partners. We will continue to push for common sense decision-making to return to the heart of Salisbury.”

The proposals will be discussed at Salisbury City Council’s Finance and Governance Committee meeting on Monday, January 9. They will then recommended for adoption to the full council on January 16.