ACTING leader of St Helens Council Andy Bowden says the authority has been left with "little choice" as councillors recommended plans to increase council tax by almost four per cent for 2017-18.

At the council's Cabinet meeting last Wednesday (January 11) senior councillors recommended the hike of 3.99 per cent as they discussed the authority's budget report.

The increase includes the maximum allowed without a referendum and includes a further two per cent which authorities are allowed to add on if they face a social care funding crisis, to enable them to ease pressures.

It marks a greater increase than the expected level of inflation with government anticipating a rise of three per cent for 2017-18 due to the impact of exchange rates on imported goods.

The council says it faces a further £20.6m financial reduction by 2020. The budget report states the authority’s general grant will have reduced by £90m by 2020, equating to a 75 per cent reduction in support.

Acting leader Andy Bowden said: "Under the guise of the excuse of austerity this government has made choices to strip funds from authorities like St Helens leaving us in local government with little choice."

He added: "We are faced with having to make some extremely difficult decisions moving forward and I think the government should hang its head in shame.

"This is not an accidental consequence. Government knew the impact this will have on our residents."

The government also announced a further flexibility in the Care Precept, which would allow councils to bring forward the precept for 2019-20 to 2017-18 and 2018-19.

This would allow councils to raise the precept by three per cent in those years and have no precept increase in 2019-20. However, St Helens Council has decided not to front load funding into the first two years and to remain with a two per cent increase.

Meanwhile, there are no plans to amend the council tax reduction scheme for households requiring financial support.

Councillors also recommended plans for growing the borough's economy. The Local Plan has set objectives for development in the borough up to 2033 and the rejuvenation of St Helens Town Centre has been highlighted as a key need for the borough.