Surrey residents are set for a 3% rise in Council Tax in April – despite the Government’s freeze on rises.

The move is likely to prove highly unpopular amongst residents at a time of record levels of unemployment and financial hardship but Surrey County Council believes it has no option.

The Council’s Cabinet is set to discuss a proposal to reject the Government’s freeze because it claims it would lead to a £70m  financial blackhole over the next five years .

The Government has offered all councils a one-off grant of 2.5% for 2012/13 if they freeze council tax for another year. But the Council claims Surrey would be £14m down in every subsequent year when the one-year grant ends.

“For some councils, it is a good offer but it’s not right for Surrey,” said Council leader David Hodge. “The freeze would be a short-term gain for long-term pain.

“It would create a financial black hole of £70m in just five years, equivalent to wiping out Surrey’s road maintenance budget for more than two years.

“This isn’t about us wanting to spend more money, we’ve already made huge savings from our budget. Our plans mean that even in 2017 we won’t be spending any more than we did in 2010. The truth is that we have to increase council tax every year just to stand still, because our Whitehall grant is reducing every year.

“If these proposals are agreed it will mean that amongst other things we’ll be able to increase spending on local road maintenance schemes by more than 100%, despite some incredibly difficult financial challenges.”

He added: “With the number of people aged over 85 doubling in the next 20 years, some of the most heavily used roads in the UK and almost a 20% increase in the county’s birth rate over the past decade, Surrey faces enormous pressure on its budgets for elderly care, roads maintenance and school places.

“With these kinds of challenges it’s vital we make decisions in the long term interest of Surrey and we therefore have no choice but to recommend the council decline the Government’s offer.”

The Cabinet will discuss a 2.99% hike at a meeting on 31 January with a final decision taken on 7 February at the Full Council meeting.

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