RESIDENTS are facing a council tax hike after Colchester Council voted through proposed budget plans which will see the charge increase by £4.95 per year.

The extra levy, based on a Band D household, from the authority for 2017/18 comes as the administration aims to bridge a funding gap caused by diminishing Government grants.

Council tax is made up of charges from Colchester Council, Essex Fire and Rescue Service, Essex Police, Essex County Council and, where applicable, parish councils.

At a full council meeting, Colchester Council’s resources boss Mark Cory (Lib Dem) said the council had no choice but to raise the tax.

He said: “More than £2.2million has been cut from Colchester’s revenue grant from central government in the past two years and from 2019/20, Colchester Council will actually have to start paying money back.

“It is the suggestion we now raise council tax to plug the gap.

“For the last six years this administration has been able to freeze council tax, but now we must ensure we protect services in the borough now and into the future.

“We continue to budget for £250,000 to be given to voluntary organisations, £100,000 for Colchester’s Big Choice and have secured locality budget to ensure councillors as community champions to invest in projects or facilities and will continue to protect the most vulnerable.”

Conservative group leader Dennis Willets criticised Mr Cory for presenting the council’s finances in a negative light and called for more imagination in the budget.

He said: “This is not a budget with anything for the people of Colchester.

“There has been no effort to take a clipboard, go into the town centre and ask the people what they want addressing.

“I think what they would want is a clear plan on what we want and where we are going - we know retail is not doing as well as it should be.”

Mr Willetts added he would like to see more focus on creative solutions to town centre car parking costs and more municipal housing built.

The Tory group, who all abstained from voting to take forward the budget,were criticised for not suggesting any amendments to the proposal.

Labour leader Tim Young said councils around the country were fighting central government cuts.

He said: “Colchester residents will see a rise in their council tax but they are savvy.

“They know if you want local services you have to pay for them.

“We will continue to support arts, culture and heritage where it is sensible to do so because they are so important to the social and economic wellbeing of the borough - it is what sets Colchester apart.”