Council Tax bills to rise in county (From Warrington Guardian)

Council Tax bills to rise in county

COUNCIL Tax payers in mid Cheshire will face a weekly 87p increase on the county precept in light of a crippling Government funding shortfall.

The 4.9 per cent increase, based on the average band D bill, comes into play in April after Cheshire's ruling Conservative party produced a budget aimed at balancing key service investment and protecting the taxpayer.

Members devoted £300,000 to ease care charge increases and protect carers' grants and also allowed the calculation of the assessed contribution for people who are not standard charge payers to be based on 90 per cent of their assessed disposable income, up from 85 per cent.

Finance executive member Gretta Cousins said: "The rise is the minimum figure consistent with protecting core services and maintaining strong finances."

But Labour Clr Tony Newton condemned the Tory administration for increasing adult care charges, raising home care costs by 78 per cent and implementing a 71 per cent increase in transport costs.

An extra £36million for growth in essential services was also allocated.

Opposition amendments to plans for cutting £2.8million from the schools budget and changes in adult care service charges were rejected by the administration on the basis it would have made the budget exceed the Government's capping limit.