CONFIRMATION came yesterday that Salisbury households will face a hike of almost £180 in their council tax bills on average this year.

That’s by far the highest increase in the county, putting the total for a Band-D property within the city up to £1,877.54 from April.

As expected, Wiltshire councillors rubber stamped their leaders’ proposals for a 6 per cent rise in their share of the bill.

And Salisbury City Council had already put its charge up by 69 per cent, while the fire service and police also voted through maximum precept rises earlier this year.

Wiltshire Council said the increase was needed to maintain services, with demand for social care increasing while government funding continues to fall.

Leader Jane Scott said it was “one of the most challenging budgets” in the authority’s history.

Labour group leader Ricky Rogers said it was a “balanced” budget in “tough times”.

But he said the overall increase for Salisbury households would be “huge” and it would be a difficult year for those whose budgets were already “stretched to the limit”.

Liberal Democrat councillors attacked the Tories for having cut services including children’s centres, buses, street cleaning, grass cutting, play parks and public toilets under the guise of “efficiency savings”.

But the Conservatives defended their record of investing in social care, roads and in keeping libraries and leisure centres open.

Meanwhile city council leader Matthew Dean defended his administration’s 69 per cent increase, previously reported by the Journal.

He said the city council faced “significant cost pressures” as it improves street cleaning, reopens damaged children’s play areas, restores the war memorial, improves the city’s parks, develops a Neighbourhood Plan and opens a new cemetery.

“I’m confident we can demonstrate value for money,” he said.