Council tax bills will rise by about £1.10 per week after the Labour administration at Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) passed its second budget since winning control in 2015.

The local authority aims to tackle a £57.3m reduction in government funding while protecting services ‘most valued’ by residents.

A meeting of the full council, controlled by Labour with a miniscule one seat majority, agreed a 3.99% council tax rise in 2016-17, comprising a 1.99% general increase and an additional 2% rise for adult social care which is under pressure across the country.

Council tax bills are due to rise in Cheshire West and Chester. Photo: Joe Giddens/PA Wire

This would mean a standard Band D council tax rate of £1,326.11, a rise of £50.88 on the 2015-16 rate – or 97p per week.

It follows decisions by Cheshire Police to raise its precept by 3.2% or about 10p per week and by Cheshire Fire Authority to increase its element by 1.99% or 2.7p a week meaning Cheshire West council taxpayers will face a total rise of about £1.10 per week or £57 per year. Other levies apply in areas covered by town and parish councils.

CWaC leader Cllr Samantha Dixon
CWaC leader Cllr Samantha Dixon

Council leader Samantha Dixon said: “We are having to make some very difficult decisions because the Tory government has taken £57m from our budget. I’d like to pay tribute to the council’s staff who, despite this, are still delivering a fantastic range of services for our borough’s residents.”

Cheshire Conservatives claimed residents would be paying lower council tax had departing councillor Reggie Jones resigned prior to the budget meeting as Labour would have lost its overall majority although on the night the authority’s only independent councillor Martin Barker voted with the controlling group in any event.

In a statement, the group said: “Cheshire Conservatives will miss the antics of Cllr Reggie Jones, from Blacon , who resigned this morning (Friday, March 3), hours after supporting Labour to raise council tax by almost 4%. Had he quit last Friday as planned or even yesterday, residents would be paying slightly lower council tax.

Departing Blacon councillor Reggie Jones
Departing Blacon councillor Reggie Jones

“At the budget council meeting last night, Cheshire West Conservative councillors put forward alternative budget plans for 0% change to council tax but were voted down by the Labour administration to increase council tax by 1.99%, the maximum rise without triggering a borough referendum.

“With growing pressures in social care, the Conservatives wanted to see more progress made on established plans to integrate health and care for older and vulnerable residents. Tory proposals for a 3% rise to the adult social care precept were voted down and set at 2% by Labour. With delayed discharge from hospital running at 13,256 days this year in Cheshire West, Conservatives believe that more can be done locally to help residents and relieve pressures on the NHS .”

The Tories aimed to spend less on ICT, buildings and council staff to keep tax rises down for households ‘many of whom are just-about-managing on low and fixed incomes’, said the statement.

Councillor Neil Sullivan

Finance spokesman Cllr Neil Sullivan said: “We asked Labour to rethink the timing of introducing the Local Living Wage which is set higher than the National Living Wage that comes in next month.”

He said the Tory group also wanted to prevent the long-established practice of allowing council officers to be seconded into the role of trade union representatives.

Cheshire West and Chester Tory opposition leader Cllr Lynn Riley
Cheshire West and Chester Tory opposition leader Cllr Lynn Riley

Conservative opposition leader Cllr Lynn Riley commented: “Too many Labour plans had big budgets but no detailed plans. The taxpayer shouldn’t be asked to pay higher tax rates to front load huge projects for ICT and new buildings that will take years to deliver, especially when the council budget is £1.5m underspent this year and mot council buildings have empty space.“