LABOUR council bosses have been accused of penalising thousands of residents because of their failure to ‘think out of the box’.

Tory group leader John Slater launched his attack as Blackburn with Darwen Council’s annual budget meeting agreed a 4.99 per cent rise in its council tax from April 1.

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The authority’s executive member for resources Cllr Andy Kay justified the increase, higher than the originally expected 3,99 per cent, as essential to pay for the increasing cost of caring for the old, disabled and vulnerable.

Cllr Slater was unimpressed blaming Cllr Kay for lack of original thinking and his executive board regeneration colleague Cllr Phil Riley for wasting cash on expensive projects like the One Cathedral Square office block that would bring little financial return to the council.

The Fernhurst Conservative representative told the meeting: “Council tax payers are paying extra because of the Labour leadership’s failure to think outside the box.

“We have an executive member for regeneration with no plan and and executive member for resources with no vision.

“The Cathedral Square office block will not bring income to the council despite the cost and it has taken them months to take up our idea of using a private company to identify and penalise owners of dogs that foul public areas at no cost to the council in return for keeping the fines.”

Cllr Kay said: “This coming financial year is another which will see our residents having to pay more for reduced services.

“These cuts have been the direct result of a callous, vindictive, poorly thought-out and policy of austerity implemented by the government.

“Any extra council tax income raised locally will not bring in anywhere near enough money to alleviate the growing pressure on social care now and in the future.”

On the £34million Cathedral Quarter investment, Cllr Kay, said: “You cannot attract people to the town if you do not make it attractive.”

This 4.99 per cent rise will add £60 to the council tax of the ‘Band A’ terraced homes making up 58 per cent of the borough’s houses and £90 to annual bill of a Band D semi-detached or small detached home.

Only six per cent of properties are more highly-rated.

The full Band A council tax charge for the borough of Blackburn with Darwen with extra ‘precept’ charges for the police and fire services will be £1,076.07 and the Band D bill £1,614.10.

For areas with town and parish councils the Band A charge will be: Eccleshill Parish £1,092.73; Livesey Parish £1,081.32; North Turton Parish £1,086.73; Pleasington Parish £1,079.94; Tockholes Parish £1,098.91; Yate and Pickup Bank Parish £1,090.82; and Darwen Town Council £1,084.96.

Liberal Democrat group leader David Foster questioned the council’s budget and priorities and warned it was in danger of becoming a pure ‘social care’ service if the government did not find more money for local authorities to look after the elderly.