COUNCIL tax is set to rise by more than three per cent in April. Local Democracy Reporter JOSEPH TIMAN looks at how authorities want to spend the extra money.

THE rise in Bolton’s council tax bill will be spent on social care, neighbourhood policing and more firefighters.

Most taxpayers in the borough would pay between £35 and £42 per year more in council tax from April if proposals are approved.

The 3.05 per cent hike, which is set to be signed off next week, will mostly bolster the council’s coffers but also be a boost for Greater Manchester authorities.

Bolton Council’s cabinet has recommended no increase in the general levy but wants a two per cent rise for adult social care which it says will help protect those most vulnerable adults.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester has proposed charging Band B properties £18.67 more in the next financial year.

If Andy Burnham goes ahead with these proposals, the two precepts he sets would account for at least £200 of the total annual bill for most Bolton properties.

He would spend the additional money on recruiting 108 firefighters, helping rough sleepers and providing free bus travel for young people who grew up in care until they turn 21.

Mr Burnham has also promised that every ward in Greater Manchester will have a named police officer and PSCO.

Council leader David Greenhalgh was supportive of the boost to neighbourhood policing.

But Bolton’s Lib Dem leader, Cllr Roger Hayes, described the rise in the Metro Mayor’s council tax precept as "scandalous".

He said: “It will mean Bolton residents are paying £1.9m into that part of the Mayor’s precept. Greater Manchester-wide, £18.9m being paid in. An extra £5.9m.”

Cllr Greenhalgh was critical of how the police precept from this year’s council tax bill was spent.

Out of the 320 police officers recruited using the extra tax revenue, 50 have been deployed on trams in a bid to tackle anti-social behaviour on the Metrolink.

Responding to Cllr Hayes, the council leader said: “It was spent to address anti-social behaviour on the Metrolink when we in Bolton do not have a Metrolink. All of the signs are that it will be spent next year on neighbourhood policing. But I agree with you. The level of rate that the Mayor is rising is a real concern.”

Labour councillor Nick Peel told colleagues that the proposed increase for the general element of the mayor’s council tax precept is just a £7.25 increase for most.

He also spoke of a “crisis” across the country which leaves local authorities with no choice but to raise the adult social care precept on the council tax bill.

The ring-fenced adult social care precept was introduced by the government in the 2016 budget allowing authorities which provide social care to adults to increase their share of council tax by up to two per cent.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Greenhalgh said: “We are presenting a fair budget which looks to protect the most vulnerable in our society.”

“Despite the tough pressures that we face, we will be recommending a balanced budget without the need for any further savings beyond the requirement set last year.

“We are seeing however increasing pressures on social care and other services. The government will be carrying out its fair funding review of local government financing and we will be pushing the borough’s case vigorously with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.”

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Bolton Council will benefit from £6.6m of new government funding for adult social care next year which comes from the social care support grant.

A report to Bolton’s cabinet meeting on Monday also provided an update about the two-year budget and how the council has made progress of £11.6m towards the savings target of £23.5m.

This is the second year of a two-year budget which was set last year. The council used £8m from reserves to balance the budget and meant directorates finding savings of £23.5m.

The Greater Manchester mayoral precepts will be set on Friday ahead of Bolton Council’s budget meeting on February 19 when the rest of the bill will be decided.