Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

The Ashfield Independent-led Ashfield Council brought forward and approved its 2023/24 budget proposals – including a 7 per cent increase in the amount its tenants will pay in rent.

The increase is the maximum the authority is allowed to take under Government rules and means rent fees will rise by £266.40 more per year on average.

In most years, councils are allowed to increase bills by inflation plus 1 per cent, but the Government introduced the 7 per cent cap in light of the cost of living crisis and sky-high inflation.

Coun John Wilmott , Ashfield Council executive lead member for licensing, environmental health and regulatory services.

The authority says the increase will allow for improvements to be made to the existing housing stock and social homes to be built.

Suspected drug-driver caught after driving down dead end in bid to flee police n...

Coun John Wilmott told the full council meeting: “Average rents in Ashfield are £8.03 per week cheaper than the East Midlands average and this is something to be proud of.

“Housing associations are even more expensive and private rents are 46 per cent higher.

“In Ashfield, 73.63 per cent of council tenants receive some form of assistance with their rent – including benefits or Universal Credit.

“Therefore, they will not be subject to paying the full increases themselves.”

The council said these changes are needed if it wants to address issues in its housing stock and continue to build social homes.

Other proposals approved were a 38 per cent rise in communal heating charges for social housing tenants.

For band A properties it will see weekly heating bills rise by £4.20 to £15.24. The rise equates to £4.51 per week for Band B homes and takes the weekly heating charge up to £16.39.

Band C weekly heating fees will rise by £4.74 to £17.20 per week and band D by £5.03 to £18.27 per week.

Last year, the authority enforced a 5 per cent increase on heating charges and the maximum increase per week was 68p.

The authority also approved a 7 per cent increase in its garage fees for 2023/24.

Under this increase, band A garages will increase weekly by 48p to £7.30 and band B garage fees will rise by 53p to £8.15 each week, with the council expected to generate £17,000 through the move.

Ashfield Council increases rents by more than £200 a year