A COUNCILLOR has hit out at plans to increase council tax by 4.94 per cent, suggesting it will force residents to make "sacrifices" to their heating and food bills.

Worcestershire County Council is recommending to increase council tax by 4.94 per cent from 2018/2019 – a £57 yearly increase for band D residents.

But at a council meeting on Thursday, January 18, Labour group leader Peter McDonald, questioned the rises for residents across Kidderminster and the county.

He said: “Perhaps the leader might explain to myself and residents where they are supposed to get that money from when most have taken a decrease in their salaries?

“Those that do achieve a rise it’s usually by about one per cent, so perhaps the leader can tell me where these residents are going to get this money from?

“Is it turning the heat down over winter? Is it cutting back on the food bill? What sacrifices does he expect the residents of Worcestershire to make to find that 4.9 per cent increase?”

A total of 1.94 per cent will go towards the council’s 'Shaping Worcestershire's Future' scheme, which sets out plans to improve the county as a place to live, work, visit and invest in.

And a further three per cent of the increase will be ring-fenced for Adult Social Care services.

Cllr Simon Geraghty, council leader, said: “What we have had to do is balance the needs of the council in terms of resources required to address the financial challenges we face, with people’s ability to pay.

“We always try and reflect on that and make sure we get the balance right.

“The proposals at 4.94 per cent represent just over a pound a week extra in a band D property.

“I do accept that’s additional burden for people to pay but we do know that two-thirds of our budget is spent on the most vulnerable of people in society so it’s important to make sure that those vulnerable people are protected and services are funded – most importantly, children’s services.”