A CLAIM that councillors are considering a council tax freeze as a ‘vote winner’ has been rubbished.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council is planning not to impose a rise in the annual bill and accept a grant from the government instead.

The authority’s cabinet members were discussing a report into its budget options in the wake of a consultation exercise to gauge public opinion.

For the past few years, the authority has refused to accept the government’s offer of a grant, maintaining it would have been bad for council taxpayers as the money was a one-off cash injection.

However, for this year’s budget the authority is prepared to freeze the council tax rate and accept the government offer.

Independent councillor Steve Kay branded the possible tax freeze as ‘political expediency’.

Fifteen months ago the councillor called on the authority to implement a two-year freeze – a request that was ridiculed at the time by the council’s cabinet member for corporate resources, Councillor Norman Pickthall.

Cllr Kay said the public consultation was an attempt to pull the wool over the public’s eyes.

He said: “You have just said you are going to have a council tax freeze but I knew months ago you were going to do it.

“What I’m concerned about is that in the past you have refused the government grant and the offer of a zero per cent tax rise.

“Believe it or not I think this is nothing more than political expediency – you fear the wrath of the electorate.”

But his claims were refuted by the cabinet members who said the last time the Labour group opted to freeze the bill in the run up to an election they lost overall control of the authority.

Deputy Leader Sheelagh Clarke said: “If you remember rightly, the last time we decided to freeze council tax we lost control of the council, so if it was simply for that reason, history tells you that it would be political suicide.”

Cllr Steve Goldswain, the cabinet member for community safety, added: “The reality is that everybody else is putting up their council tax precepts – the police commissioner, the fire brigade and parish councils – so people’s bills will still be going up.

“It’s not about us trying to win an election; it’s about us doing something to help the people living in Redcar and Cleveland.”

The council is due to set its budget and council tax precept in the next two months.