Council tax is due to rise by nearly 4% in Hounslow due to "unprecedented" cuts in government funding.

Hounslow councillors said they have been forced to make difficult decisions on where to focus spending, during a borough council meeting on Tuesday (February 21).

Residents will see a 3.99% rise in their council tax for 2017/18 - the first increase in a decade.

Cllr Theo Dennison, cabinet member for finance and citizen engagement at Hounslow Council , said: “We’re all going through very difficult times, having to balance the books in the face of unprecedented cuts to funding.

Hounslow Council leader Steve Curran

"But we will do our utmost to protect the services residents rely on and look for improvements in frontline services where we can.

“It’s extremely challenging, and it does involve having to make some hard decisions about the services we can afford.

“We have a prudent approach to financial management and there are robust plans in place to ensure we live within our means.

"As in any well-run organisation, we will keep a firm lid on spending and ensure our services are being run as efficiently as possible so they deliver value for money.”

In October Hounslow Council approved savings of £7.2 million , the majority around staffing restructures, greater use of online council services and reducing contract and insurance costs.

Proposals agreed include adopting the government’s social care precept of 2% to help protect adult social care services from further cuts.

Currently a Band D property household pays £1,079.77 a year, this will increase by £43.08 (excluding GLA precept).

The 1.99% council tax increase agreed in principle in October, together with the social care precept of 2% brings the total council tax rise to 3.99% in 2017/18.

This means a Band D property will cost £1,122.85 (council tax and social care precept) plus £280.02 (GLA precept) bringing the total to £1,402.87.

Leader of Hounslow Council, councillor Steve Curran, added: “Our ability to provide excellent local services is under more pressure than ever.

“Money received from central government has fallen by £22.8 million in the last two years, but there is increasing demand for council services, particularly for children and older people.

“We face some hard decisions in order to reduce our spending by £45.8m over the next two years, and services for local people have already been affected.

"More changes will be necessary, but we are determined to minimise the impact on local services and local residents as much as possible.”

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