A RISE in council tax bills of almost two per cent – higher than the current inflation rate – looks set to be imposed on Northumberland residents.

Northumberland County Council is proposing a 1.99 per cent increase in the council tax and a two per cent rise in the adult social care precept, amid £9.8m of cutbacks this year and further cuts to follow next year.

The council’s deputy leader, Coun. Wayne Daley, and Coun. Nick Oliver, portfolio holder for corporate services, gave a presentation to Tynedale Local Area Council on Tuesday detailing what they saw as the achievements of the council since the Conservatives took over in 2017 and their proposals for the future.

Coun. Oliver said: “We’re spending £800m a year, and seeing an increasing demand for services, particularly adult and children’s services. Our overriding drive is to minimise the impact on frontline services.”

The budget will be debated by all local area councils in the county before going before full council in February.

Coun. Daley added: “We need to focus on what the future looks like. We want to keep moving.

“We want to grasp every opportunity. We will be putting our communities at the heart of everything we do.

“We have some really ambitious plans – three of the four MPs in Northumberland are Conservative now. We have the ear of government and Boris Johnson has promised to deliver his election pledges.”