TAXPAYERS in Cumbria are likely to be met with an increased bill as the county's authority has today approved a hike.

At a meeting today (February 1), Cumbria County Council’s (CCC) cabinet discussed how it can meet the financial challenges as it looks ahead to 2022.

Cabinet agreed to the following recommendations which will now be considered at a meeting of the full council on February 15:

• A general increase of council tax by 1.99 per cent for 2018/19;

• An additional precept for adult social care of 2 per cent for 2018/19;

• A new budget and medium term financial plan (MTFP) for 2018-2022;

• A new Council plan for 2018-2022.

If the changes are accepted, council tax for a Band D property will increase by more than £50 to £1,332 in 2018/19 from £1,281 in 2017/18.

Cllr Ian Stewart, deputy leader of CCC and portfolio holder with responsibility for finance, said: “The ongoing financial pressures on the public sector remain difficult and challenging.

"Much of this pressure is down to the widespread uncertainty we face regarding our funding but also the fact that council services to support children, young people, vulnerable adults and older people currently face unprecedented and rising demand.

“What is clear is that the council will have to deliver essential services with less money. All of this means we have had to look quite radically at how we do business. Looking at transforming our services over the next three to four years to deliver on our responsibilities to the people of Cumbria, difficult decisions need to be made. However, customers will remain at the heart of what we do as we also become more enterprising and efficient."

He added: “Efficiency alone is no longer sufficient and a fresh approach is now required. Our new council plan will set the framework for how we work differently in the future and our budget and Medium Term Financial plan will provide the financial foundation for us as we look at becoming more entrepreneurial as a council, maximising opportunities to generate income and work with others more closely.”

In Cumbria since 2011, the council has made savings of £214million. It still needs to find an additional £70 million by 2022. This amounts to around £285 million over an 11 year period.