COUNCIL tax will be hiked up by £5 under budget plans for Allerdale set to be discussed next week.

The rise will affect band D properties, with “proportionate increases” for other bands across the borough.

Allerdale council is also proposing to borrow £25m to pay for an 8,000-capacity stadium for Workington subject to a “final business case” due in the next few months.

The budget comes against a backdrop of cuts which has seen the Government’s Revenue Support Grant slashed from 2.5m in 2015/16 to £196,000 in 2019/20.

A spokesman for Allerdale council said: “Despite this, the council continues to maintain services, such as weekly bin collections, as well as invest in capital projects within Allerdale. The council also remains focused on driving down costs through efficiency savings and transforming its services, whilst seeking ways to increase income.

“The budget proposes a council tax increase of £5 for a band D property, with proportionate increases for other bands. This equates to an increase of just under 10p a week.

“Even with this proposed increase, the annual council tax amount for a band D property remains the lowest of all the Cumbrian districts.”

Several “efficiency savings” to the council’s revenue budget have been identified, including £318,000 from the new grounds maintenance and street cleaning services.

A further £508,000 has been saved through a reduction in service costs brought about by the council’s new waste contract and a review of commercial waste pricing.

There is also a proposed further saving of £35,000 from the removal of purple bags to collect recycling.

The budget has set aside £50,000 aside for the ‘shopfront scheme’ to improve frontages in Silloth and Aspatria, with a further £30,000 to support the swimming pools in Maryport and Wigton.

The proposed capital budget also includes several investment schemes into Allerdale’s communities. These include a £150k towards the creation of a “container village” attraction of food and other stalls at Maryport harbour and  £100,000 to bring ten empty homes back into use.

The budget also outlines plans for the conversion of a property on Otley Road in Keswick into much affordable housing costing £130,000.

An extensive budget consultation carried out by the council found that most residents supported a rise in council tax if it protected services.

The budget is due to be considered by the Executive on February 25 before going to council on March 6.