A COUNCIL funding row could incite divisions between urban and rural dwellers.

Labour has condemned plans by Tory-led Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) arguing residents in non-parished mainly Labour urban areas could pay up to £50 a year extra in council tax.

Conservatives argue the move will address an historical inequity which sees householders in parished areas paying twice for some council services.

The Tory plan would see parishes funding Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), Christmas lights and open spaces, as they do currently, through a levy included in council tax bills.

But in future they would no longer contribute towards those facilities elsewhere in the borough. Instead, non-parished areas would make up the difference.

Labour group leader Cllr Justin Madders said: “The Tories have put forward a proposal which is unfair, lacking in transparency and is without any mandate.

“It also largely favours people living in areas largely represented by Conservative councillors and penalises many residents in areas with Labour representation.”

But Frodsham’s Conservative town mayor Andrew Dawson welcomed the move which could see CWaC’s portion of the council tax paid by each Band D households in Frodsham drop by £8.33.

He said: “Frodsham is one area that would benefit most because we provide all these services ourselves.

“It’s an excellent scheme, long overdue, and I wholeheartedly endorse it.

“It’s an attempt to bring about fairness – and much better that people who are paying for these things themselves do not cross subsidise areas like Northwich that have two PCSOs fully funded by CWaC.”