A MAXIMUM 4.99 per cent increase in council tax has been unanimously agreed by councillors as part of a plan to cut £46.6m from a town’s budget.

A special full Darlington Borough Council meeting saw 35 elected members vote in favour of the sustained tax hike for 2017/18.

Cost cuttings made to the authority’s budget will see homeowners of Band D properties paying council tax of £1,379.30 for the next financial year.

The near-five per cent increase is the maximum that can be imposed by the council, which includes a three per cent adult social care levy made available for local governments to impose by central Government.

During a meeting in Darlington’s Town Hall on Tuesday night, council leader Bill Dixon, said: “As an authority, we can see 2020 if we stick to this budget – some authorities in this country won’t.

“One of the things I’ve been keen to protect is that we must retain some sort of economic development. Without it, there is no future for this town.

“Over the next few weeks we’ll be announcing a series of initiatives that will go on long past our lifetimes for the legacy that we’ll leave for our children and our grandchildren.”

All councillors included in the council tax ballot voted for the increase which forms as part of the authority’s Medium Term Financial Plan.

During a Darlington Borough Council cabinet meeting held last week, Conservative group leader Councillor Heather Scott, agreed that adult social care services provided by the authority should be protected.