Reform calls Bournemouth Council Tax rise ‘madness’

Reform councillors for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council have labelled plans to raise Council Tax by an unprecedented 7.4 per cent “madness”.

The maximum a local authority can raise Council Tax is 4.99 per cent each year. However, it is reported that the council is applying to the government to increase it by an additional 2.41 per cent for 2026/27 to “avoid services failing and government intervention”.

The leader of BCP Council, Cllr Millie Earl, said: “Our public services have been gutted by a decade of austerity and the chancellor’s budget in November did nothing to support councils to deliver vital services. Our assessment of the Provisional Local Government Financial Settlement for 2026/27, released last week, does not address this shortfall and will leave our council, and the residents who depend on our services, with less.

“After the budget, and before we had seen the detail in the Local Government Financial Settlement, government asked councils to express an interest in flexibility around Council Tax. Although it’s not something we want to do, it is prudent to explore all options to ensure vital services remain in place.”