COUNCIL tax will be frozen for a fifth year after Wiltshire councillors voted to pass the budget for the 2015/16 financial year.

The approved budget will see Wiltshire Council make around £30million worth of savings in over 100 areas including charges for green bin collection and scrapping the music scheme.

An amendment proposed by Liberal Democrat Councillor Jon Hubbard to raise council tax by 1.9% to reduce the need for savings was rejected by 55 votes to 31.

The council are making the savings to cover a reduction in funding from central government which is set to fall from £119million to £103.8million.

Conservative council leader councillor Jane Scott delivered the leader’s budget speech where she emphasised the need to stay true the council’s values and priorities to deliver significant savings.

She said: “The budget is not just a set of numbers; it’s a representation of our values and ambitions.

“I am passionate that we stay true to our values and priorities, even though we have to deliver substantial savings and make some tough decisions.

“We need to do what we believe is right for the people of Wiltshire.

“We should be proud that we have not increased council tax for the past five years and that throughout this time we have managed to sustain the delivery of key front Amendments to the budget proposals were put forward by Mr Hubbard who wanted to reverse the £40/year charge for garden waste and the decision to make cuts to the music service, the hopper buses and arts grants.

The Liberal Democrat councillor said that this £1.7million investment could be paid for with a 1.9% increase in council tax.

He argued that the increase, which would work out at around 45p a week for the average household, was financially and legally deliverable.

He said: “We take the unpalatable, unpleasant and politically courageous move and go out to the people of Wiltshire and ask them to pay a bit more.

“So much is being taken out of local government we cannot deliver reasonable services without looking at how we can raise our own income.

“It has been a very very tough year; central government you are taking too much too fast from local government.

“Let’s stop crazy policies and start delivering for the people of Wiltshire."

The Liberal Democrats received support for their proposals from Labour Councillors and some independent Councillors for their council tax rise.

Labour councillor Ricky Rogers called decision to charge for green bins a backwards step warning that it would result in an increase in fly tipping.

Council leader Jane Scott criticised the amendment claiming that it taxed all to give services for a few and urged council to listen to residents who had asked and demanded them to keep their council tax down.

Shortly after Mr Hubbard’s amendment was rejected by 55 votes to 31, Councillors voted to pass the cabinet’s budget.