OPPOSITION groups have challenged the North-East’s biggest local authority to freeze council tax for the year ahead.

The Labour cabinet at Durham County Council is expected to back a 1.99 per cent tax hike when it meets to discuss the authority’s 2015-16 budget next Wednesday (February 11).

That is the biggest rise possible without triggering a costly local referendum and would raise an extra £3.3m for the council, which faces cuts of £250m by 2019.

But the opposition Conservative and Liberal Democrat groups are pushing for there to be no rise.

Tory leader Richard Bell said the authority should accept the Government’s offer of a council tax freeze grant worth £2.18m.

“The council’s cabinet wants to charge council taxpayers £3.37m for a net benefit of £1.27m – that’s wacky economics and shows no concern with helping people with their cost of living,” he said.

Councillor Bell said the shortfall created by freezing council tax could be met by axing the council magazine County Durham News and making back-office savings.

Lib Dem leader Amanda Hopgood said the authority could afford to freeze council tax without frontline services being affected.

A full council meeting will set the budget for the year ahead on Wednesday, February 25.

Meanwhile, residents of County Durham and Darlington will pay 1.98 per cent more for their police force in 2015-16, after the Durham Police and Crime Panel agreed to Police and Crime Commissioner Ron Hogg’s proposal yesterday (Tuesday, February 3).

Bills for Band A householders will increase by 4p a week.

There is still time to comment on Mr Hogg’s draft Police and Crime Plan 2015-17 online at durham-pcc.gov.uk or by calling 03000-264-631. The deadline is Sunday, February 15.