Councillors reject call for council tax rise

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CALLS to add more than £20 a year to the average council tax bill have been rejected.

Labour councillors on Worcestershire County Council wanted a 1.99 per cent rise - equivalent to 40p a week extra on the average Band D bill.

They claimed it would raise £2.1million to pay for schemes including supporting bus services and the reintroduction of pre-9.30am bus travel for the elderly and disabled - something Redditch Borough Council has already done on its own.

But the ruling Conservative group rejected the call instead voting to freeze the county council's portion of the bill for a third successive year.

Council leader Coun Adrian Hardman criticised the proposals and said Labour 'truly are the party of tax and spend'.

Liberal Democrat plans to invest in young people's bus travel and paying staff a living wage were also rejected.

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