“My bins are emptied but I pay £3,500 on my council tax. I’m not really sure what else I get,” says Simon Wraw, who has just received his bill.
He and his neighbours in the Dorset town of Broadstone have been left reeling after learning their payments are rising beyond the expected 6.74 per cent hike in April – which was already one of the highest increases in the country. Instead, they will pay an increase of 9.1 per cent.
It is leading to anger about how much they are paying for the services they receive. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) council revealed it will not be putting on an official event to mark Armed Forces Day due to budget issues.
And Wraw, 63, said it was local volunteers who had to come together to repaint a playground and “bring it up to scratch”.
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Cash-strapped local authorities across the country are hiking council tax this year, with seven given permission to increase the charge above 5 per cent due to ongoing financial pressures.
Among them is the Liberal Democrat-run BCP, which is allowed an increase of 6.74 per cent.
But for people living in Broadstone, there will be an additional charge reflected in the total which goes towards the new town council that is being established.
Wraw’s bill, which also includes charges set by the Dorset police and crime commissioner and fire and rescue authority, features a Broadstone Town Council fee of £87.
His overall council tax bill for his band F bungalow is rising by 9.1 per cent, from £3,260.23 to £3,553.81, according to the document.
“It was a shock to see such a high increase,” said Wraw, adding that he is “livid”.
“The 6.74 [per cent] was already a massive increase. And then to add on extra costs on that, particularly when those are not defined, we don’t yet know what is being delivered for that additional amount.”
Wraw’s bill for 2026/2027 shows the new town council charge
For band D properties in the area, the bill will rise to £2,460.33.
In addition to bin collections, council tax money can be used for local services including libraries, leisure centres, road maintenance and adult social care.
Controversial town council charge
BCP announced plans to proceed with the creation of town councils in Broadstone, Poole and Bournemouth last year, despite significant public opposition. Its consultation, which cost more than £30,000 to run and received 1,866 responses, shows around 75 per cent rejected the idea.
Town councils can be responsible for maintaining playgrounds and other public spaces. But Broadstone residents are being billed before elections for councillors have been held, leaving them with little information about how their money will be spent.
Wraw said he is fortunate to be able to afford the council tax hike, but he is aware that many others struggling with the cost of living will not.
“People, in many cases, would rather spend the additional money on shoes for the school children, the weekly shop, rising fuel bills or whatever they choose,” he said.
A member of one Broadstone residents’ group on social media said: “We’ve now got to find an extra £25 a month, how?”
Another said: “Can someone explain in plain English what you get for the ‘Broadstone Town council’ additional payment of £73.75?”
Mike Cox, the BCP Council deputy leader and cabinet member for Finance, said: “BCP Council tax is not increasing by 9.1 per cent.
“An increase of 6.74 per cent in BCP council tax is being introduced because the cost of providing essential services to our most vulnerable residents continues to rise, while the funding from national government has been reducing.
He added that it is for the town councils to outline how they spend their budgets.
“Following May’s elections, the new councillors will set their own priorities and determine how best to support their local communities.”
Across England and Wales, council tax for the average band D property will increase by 4.9 per cent, according to analysis by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and Infoshare+.
Experts warn that council tax increases alone are unlikely to be enough to cover rising demand for services and increasing costs.
Owen Mapley, CIPFA CEO, said that “many councils will still need to make difficult decisions about services”.
Andrew Dixon, founder of Fairer Share, the campaign group calling for the Government to replace council tax, said: “This case highlights one of the fundamental problems with the current council tax system. Bills can rise sharply even when residents see little improvement in services.”
Dixon added: “Council tax is still based on property values from over 30 years ago, which means households often face increases that bear little relation to their ability to pay. When multiple precepts and additional levies are layered on top, the overall rise can quickly outpace wages and inflation, leaving residents understandably frustrated.
“This underlines the need for comprehensive reform to make local taxation fairer, more transparent and more closely aligned with property values today.”