A POLITICAL row at county hall erupted last week, as members of Surrey County Council’s Tory-dominated cabinet unanimously approved a tax hike of 15 per cent - subject to a referendum which will be held on May 4.

Liberal Democrat county councillors condemned the nine times the rate of inflation increase, and launched a petition opposing it. They also called on the Government to properly fund social care as a national service.

The petition states: “A ‘yes’ vote will add a 15 per cent increase a year to bills for Band D properties and will still result in millions of pounds worth of cuts to essential services.

“A ‘no’ vote will result in even more damaging cuts which is why Liberal Democrats have consistently called for a more appropriate level of funding from central government to the county council to help avoid large cuts to vital services for Surrey residents.

The increase still has to be ratified by the full council on Tuesday.

The petition can be signed at www. signme.org.uk/1304.