COUNCIL tax is set to rise by nearly two per cent as councillors unanimously voted in favour of the 2015 budget proposal.


The 1.99% increase is the first time council tax has risen in five years and it comes as the county council desperately try to slash millions of pounds from its budget.


Cabinet members of the Liberal Democrat-Labour coalition met at Carlisle today, Thursday, February 5, with every councillor agreeing with the draft budget, designed to save £32.6million.

 
The authority claims the tax hike will generate £3.7million to help protect frontline services, significantly more than the £2.1million it would receive if it accepted a government grant to freeze council tax.


Before coming to their decision, the council circulated a budget consultation to the public with 68 per cent of the 624 respondents saying council tax should increase.


A full council meeting on Thursday, February 19, will dictate whether or not the draft budget is adopted, but strong opposition is expected from Conservative councillors, such as James Airey, who argues the tax increase 'sends out the wrong message'.

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Cllr Patricia Bell, Cumbria County Council's Deputy Leader and cabinet member responsible for resources, said: "We simply can't go on freezing council tax if we want to continue delivering services to our ageing population. Accepting a further council tax freeze grant would mean having to make far more savage cuts than outlined in this plan."


The draft budget also includes drastic measures for the reduction of the council's size.


Around 1,800 council jobs will be lost during the next three years meaning, by 2018, the council will be half the size it was in 2010.


Cllr Bell said: "That means working differently, delivering services in new ways. reducing demand for services and getting things right first time. We are reshaping our budgets so they are more locally focussed."


Council cuts have saved £127million since 2011, but, with it needing to save £211million by 2018, the leader of the council, Stewart Young, is remaining realistic.


Addressing the cabinet committee, Cllr Young, Labour, said: "We have only experienced 40% of the planned cuts so if people think it's bad now, you haven't seen anything yet."


The budget also sets aside £425,000 to be allocated to the Local Member's Grant Scheme.


According to Cllr Bell, the grants are for local groups working with local people 'to allow them to work in their communities and help improve their area'.


A total of £150,000 will be spent on hosting the Tour de Britain, which last year attracted 71,000 visitors to Cumbria and raised £4.1million for the county's economy.


In addition, £47,000 will go towards supporting social enterprises.