COUNCIL Tax in Monmouthshire will rise by 3.95 per cent from April – but the move has been branded ‘cowardly’ by the opposition Labour group on Monmouthshire County Council.

The opposition claims that the council, which is run by the Conservatives with the help of Liberal Democrats, has ‘palmed off’ the cost of running some services onto town and community councils.

The 3.95 per cent rise – a percentage point less than what the council was expecting to make – will mean the cost for an average Band D property will increase by £43.25 to £1,137.23 for county council services. The cost of the police and town and community councillors are added to that to make the total bill.

Labour group leader, Cllr Dmitri Batrouni (St Christopher’s) said: “They (the Conservatives) are officially the double taxation party because they are saying to town and community councils if you don’t run this service, this service will shut.

“The reality is if they take on those services the precepts of the town and community councils will have to go up.

“In my view it is a cowardly act to palm of the blame for cuts to town and community councils.”

Cabinet member for Finance, Cllr Phil Murphy said town and community councils were not being forced to take on services.

Council leader Cllr Peter Fox (Con, Portskewett) said if community councillors found it too hard to make decisions they should “get out of the job.”

He said the Labour-run Welsh Government had cut Monmouthshire’s budget although it was not by as much as expected and so it was ‘right’ that was passed onto Council Tax payers.

The Independent group suggested that the rise should be 4.95 per cent which would have made another £400,000 available for services at an extra 20p a week on Council Tax.

Councillor Frances Taylor (Ind, Mill) said: “I’m not usually an advocate of increasing costs to households but there is a balance to be struck here.”

Deputy leader of the council, Cllr Bob Greenland, said householders had told the council they could manage large increases in Council Tax.

He said: “We’ve listened very carefully to what the people of Monmouthshire have been saying to us and what they’ve been saying is that they can’t take much more of these constant increases in Council Tax of four and five per cent.”