Birmingham’s Council Tax is set to rocket by almost five per cent next year – adding almost £70-a-year to the bill for the average family home.

The inflation-busting increase will add to £71.90 to a Band D property in the city.

The current bill is £1,438.

The rise, far more than the 3.1 per cent inflation rate revealed on Tuesday, is the most allowed without a referendum.

The council’s 2018/19 budget also included a £54 million cuts package – including £14m of new savings.

The fresh cuts will mainly fall on social care services, which will see £3.5 million cut.

But taxpayers can also expect to pay more for funeral and wedding services, to take their car to some parks and to reserve books, CDs and DVDs from community libraries.

The planning department will take a 20 per cent cut.

And the expected closure and sale of Newtown Community Centre will save £120,000.

Adding to the misery, £40m of cuts agreed in previous years will come into force from next April.

They include the closure of day nurseries and children’s centres

Council leader Coun Ian Ward said: “We are having to make difficult decisions, as we have every year since 2010.

Birmingham City Council Leader Coun Ian Ward.
Birmingham City Council Leader Coun Ian Ward.

“Austerity has taken its toll on the people of Birmingham.”

By 2021, Birmingham’s totals cut will rise to £111 million.

But there are major questions over unspecified efficiencies and commercialisation, making money from selling services and increasing charges, which are expected to deliver £6.5 million savings next year.

Opposition councillors accused the ruling Labour leadership of postponing cuts until after the May 2018 local elections.

Conservative group leader Coun Robert Alden said unspecified efficiency savings would not be achieved and lead to greater cuts in

2019.

And Liberal Democrat leader Coun Jon Hunt said the one-off spending of £20 million reserves this year was a way of “avoiding difficult decisions” until next year.