A COUNCIL'S budget plans were not shared with other councillors before being made public, claims Cheshire East opposition leader

The council's Labour-Independent Cabinet revealed its proposed medium term financial strategy this week, outlining the authority's spending plans from 2021-25.

The final draft shows council tax will rise by 4.99 per cent for the 2021/22 year, which translates to an annual 12-month bill of £1,579.03 for a Band D property.

Conservative leader Janet Clowes says she cannot "comment in detail" on the document as she was "denied access… until it was published (on Monday night)".

In a statement to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, she said: "Unfortunately, I'm unable to comment in detail because along with all elected councillors who are not members of Cabinet, we were denied access to the finalised budget until it was published.

"Even cross-party scrutiny committees have only had the pre-consultation version to examine.

"In that version, Cheshire East stated that they could provide a balanced budget with a council tax rise of 1.99 per cent.

"But as soon as government announced in the Local Government settlement that there was an option for a three per cent adult social care precept over the next two years, Cheshire East has opted to raise council tax by the whole amount, immediately, in the middle of the pandemic."

The Conservative leader says the authority's non-cabinet councillors "will be looking for some answers" at tomorrow's (Thursday) corporate scrutiny committee, which she chairs.

Cheshire East's leadership says that it is planning to reduce the effects of the tax rise on lower income households through changes to the council tax support scheme.

Cllr Amanda Stott, Cabinet member for finance said: "Beyond 2021/22 we are proposing smaller increases in council tax of 1.99 per cent."

The budget proposals have first have to be approved by a Cabinet meeting next Tuesday (February 2), before being signed off by full council on February 17.