COUNCIL tax will rise by 3.9 per cent in Caerphilly from April after the county borough council agreed its budget for the upcoming financial year.

Households in band D properties will pay an extra £46.19 per year, or a weekly increase of 89p, while bands A-C face a weekly increase of between 59p and 79p.

The budget was approved at a full council meeting on Wednesday after alternative proposals calling for lower council tax increases, put forward by the council’s Plaid Cymru and Independent groups, were each defeated.

It includes investments to drive forward an ambitious transformation programme and funding to meet increasing demand in social services and education.

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Council leader, Cllr Philippa Marsden said the proposals include no new cuts and would ensure the council “remains financially resilient during these uncertain times”.

But Cllr Colin Mann, leader of the Plaid Cymru group, proposed an amendment to cut the council tax rise to 2.4 per cent.

Cllr Mann said the group welcomed that no cuts were in the budget, but said it could have been delivered at “a lower cost to the council tax payers of the county borough”.

“I am sure that we all know friends, family or neighbours who are facing redundancy or have already lost their jobs,” he said.

Cllr Mann said £849,000 of savings could be made to reduce the council tax rise, with sums set aside for pay rises “more than what will be needed” and concerns about £500,000 included for a transformation programme.

“There is room in the budget to reduce the rise,” he said.

But Cllr Eluned Stenner, cabinet member for finance, said lowering the council tax rise would result in “unpalatable cuts” having to be made.

“I appreciate that none of us want to see an increase in council tax, but the reality is that without this modest increase, we would need to consider unpalatable and unpopular cuts to services,” she said.

Independent councillor Graham Simmonds proposed a zero per cent council tax increase, saying that residents were ‘struggling’ due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

But the amendments proposed were each defeated by majority votes, before the Labour-led council passed its budget.

Cllr Marsden said residents would welcome news that there will be “no new cuts”.

“This means we can continue to protect our key services for the future,” she said.