Fears over plan to use £9m fund on East Riding services

East Riding Council is planning to use most of the money – £7m – on meeting the increasing cost and demand for adult social care, resulting from an ageing population. Nearly £1m in reserves will go towards meeting budget pressures in Children’s Services and £300,000 for home-to-school transport.

The ruling Conservative group will propose a freeze on council tax for the fourth year running at a budget-setting meeting next week, saying it will help those on fixed incomes, especially the elderly.

Labour, which has just six members, will not be proposing an alternative budget, because it says it wants the focus to be on the Conservative budget. Coun Paul Hogan said: “Every time we put forward an alternative budget the argument is flipped back to a council tax increase. It is not because we want to make life more uncomfortable and expensive for ratepayers, but we need to protect our core funding.

“Dipping into reserves shows there’s a growing problem which we will believe will become obvious after next year’s council elections.”

While Hull Council has said it will have to axe 450 jobs as part of plans to save £48m over the next two years, East Riding Council which has £44m to save over the same period, is set to cut 40 posts.

The budget includes a cut of £240,000 to concessionary bus travel, a shake-up in the youth and family support service, saving £195,000 and “operational efficiencies” from teams carrying out forestry work.

There are above-inflation increases for fees and charges for cemeteries and stall rents, both due to rise three per cent. The freeze will mean a Band D householder continuing to pay £1212. According to its financial plan, council tax will also be frozen in 2015-2016.