Why it matters: Ipswich Borough Council has approved a 2.99% council tax increase alongside a £70m capital investment package that includes a new £38m aquatics centre promised by April 2030, two years after the council is due to cease to exist.
The details: For the largest proportion of Ipswich residents, who live in Band B properties, the rise means an extra £9.73 per year, bringing the annual bill to £336.07. The increase was backed by 36 votes to eight.
Residents who are not working, or who earn less than £309 per month, will still be able to have their bills written off, with around 10,000 people set to receive some form of reduction.
What they're saying: Council leader Cllr Neil MacDonald defended the decisions, arguing they were necessary to put the authority on a stable financial footing.
"In terms of being a financially stable council, hard decisions have been taken, and if further hard decisions are needed, they will be taken too," he said. "This means we are in a position to kick on and look to a positive future for the town."
Resources lead Cllr Martin Cook struck an optimistic tone, saying the economic outlook was "getting dramatically better."
"We've been prudent, now we can afford to be ambitious for Ipswich," he added.
The other side: Conservative Group leader Cllr Ian Fisher was sharply critical, describing the proposals as "extravagant" promises the council had neither control over nor the money to deliver.
"The opportunities for Ipswich are endless, the ingredients are all there, but this council just continually fails to provide the recipe and the seasoning needed to create the perfect meal," he said. "Investment in our town is vital for its future; bankrupting our town is not."
Lib Dem Group leader Cllr Oliver Holmes also raised concerns, saying: "Now is not the time for grandiose capital spending which looks good on party leaflets," hinting that the investment package was more about garnering votes in the upcoming local election than ambition.
The bottom line: The council says hard decisions today will fund a better Ipswich tomorrow. Its critics say the numbers do not add up – and with the authority set to be abolished by 2028, voters may never find out who was right.
