Council tax is likely to increase by just under three per cent in Babergh after a cabinet discussion today, that led to one district councillor being told to leave.

Babergh's budget for the next financial year were approved by the cabinet today.

They will need to pass through Babergh's full council meeting in February before being implemented from April.

The proposals lay out an increase of £5.30 a year for a band D council tax in Babergh.

They also show Babergh with a deficit of £221,000 in the financial year from April.

Cllr David Busby, Babergh cabinet member for finance, assets and investments, said: "Net service expenditure is up 19 percent and interest charges are up from zero to four percent.

"To fund this, the government restricts our grant increase to less than six percent and only allows an increase to council tax of under three percent.

"It may seem strange that two councils that share the staff, building, and largely the same objectives can have such wildly different financial positions.

"The main reason for this is the fact that Mid Suffolk has gained £6.6 million more than us in new homes bonus over the last twelve years.

"Is it right that a council's finances are governed by developers and the places they decide to build?

"Something needs to change."

Provisional government grant amounts for Babergh District Council show an increase of 5.8 per cent between this financial year.

The government has allowed district councils to increase their portion of council tax by a maximum of 2.99 percent, and Babergh is planning to take the full amount.

New homes bonuses are paid by the government to councils based on the amount of council tax revenue the authority has raised for new-build homes, conversions or long-term empty homes brought back into use.

As Babergh cabinet member Cllr Alastair McCraw was explaining his view that this has been the most informed budget ever, Cllr Simon Barrett interrupted with: "I am not prepared to listen to this rubbish."

Cllr Barrett did not stop interrupting when council leader Cllr John Ward said he would have to suspend the meeting. Cllr Ward suspended the meeting and asked Cllr Barrett to leave due to disruptive behaviour – which he did.

Cllr Alastar McCraw, rudely interrupted

However, Babergh forecasted deficits when looking at budgets over the next four years.

Babergh's medium-term forecast shows a deficit of £2,806,000 in 2025/26 and £3,354,000 in 2026/27.

Both councils will work on reducing costs and increasing income to address this and attempt to create balanced budgets.

It is not the first time Cllr Barrett has clashed with councillors, and officers,and breached council rules.

He led a boycott in protest after a vote of no confidence in Ganges ward member Derek Davis as Babergh's vice chairman failed by a large majority.

A previous attack on Cllr Davis led to him and other Conservative Group members being replaced on the cabinet, as the Tory group split and leader John Ward, Stour Ward member Mary McLaren and Sudbury councillors Jan and Adrian Osborne, all left his group and became Independent Conservatives.

Simon Barrett has history of poor behaviour

In June 2022 Cllr Barrett was found to have breached the Councillors' Code of Conduct by making an obscene hand gesture towards leader John Ward, and was ordered to apologise to full council. That has earned him the nickname 'Onan'.

The business owner from Sudbury has previously been found to have breached the Code of Conduct and ordered to apologise after being disrespectful to a council officer in 2018.

In 2017, Cllr Barrett was also suspended for three months by Conservative group after he was accused of leaking confidential information at an open meeting.