A COUNCIL tax rise of nearly three per cent and more than £14m in cost savings have been backed by borough chiefs.

Cheshire West and Chester Council's ruling cabinet met earlier today where it approved the measures as part of a budget for 2022-23, which will still need to be rubber stamped by Full Council at a meeting pencilled in for February 17.

The government has set a threshold for council tax rises of two per cent, after which a local referendum would have to be called. But the proposed 2.99 per cent figure is comprised of a 1.99 per cent rise, with an additional one per cent for adult social care.

This means that residents will see a council tax increase of 95 pence per week on a Band D property, taking the full cost to £1,709.23 a year.

The cabinet was also told it will need to make what it called ‘significant savings’ in the financial year 2022-2023, and future years.

The council is currently facing a funding gap of £67.4m over the next three years, with the gap in 2022-23 totalling £26.9m.

This morning's meeting at Ellesmere Port Library was told that in total, the budget package for the next three years required the delivery of £30.8m of savings, with £14.3m required in 2022-23.

Councillor Carol Gahan, cabinet member for finance, said the authority’s financial position remained ‘extrmely challenging’.

She told the meeting: “This budget has been set against a backdrop of a continuing global pandemic and continued financial uncertainty with the fair funding review now due in the spring, and the local impact of the long awaited adult social care funding reforms, the details of which are still unknown.”

In addition to the planned council tax hike, Cheshire Police is expected to increase its current precept of £225.44 by 4.43 per cent, putting an additional £10 on bills.

Cheshire Fire Authority is also poised to raise its precept by 1.99 per cent, adding an extra £1.61 per year to a Band D bill, taking its share to £82.48. Its budget meeting takes place today, February 9.

If all rises go ahead, this would produce a combined yearly council tax bill for a Band D property in Cheshire West and Chester of £2,027.15.