COUNCIL tax payers will be billed by Surrey and Waverley for the maximum amount agreed by the government to meet their budget shortfalls.

On Tuesday, a tax hike of 2.99 per cent in 2019/20 was approved by both Surrey County Council’s full council and Waverley Borough Council’s executive committee.

Surrey leader councillor Tim Oliver said the council had used £80m from its reserves since 2014 and had been left with “no choice” but to raise the amount by the maximum amount.

Mr Oliver told council members: “It gives neither me or anyone any pleasure in making this recommendation, particularly as Surrey residents pay some of the highest council tax in the country.”

The rise means an extra 81p a week for a Band D property with the total bill rising to £1,453.50. The adult social care precept will remain at £102.39. The total revenue budget for Surrey will be £885.9m.

Defending Surrey’s decision to close 31 children’s centres, including Tennyson’s Sure Start in Haslemere, Mr Oliver added: “I know there has been widespread concern about the children centres, but the truth is the proposals approved will help us better target the support to the most vulnerable and those most in need.”

Speaking out against the cuts and tax rise, Lib Dem leader councillor Chris Botten said it was “baffling” that services were being cut but that £2.5m was being spent on interim management staff.

Waverley executive agreed a council tax rise of 2.99 per cent in 2019/20, which equates to an increase of £5.30 over the year for a Band D household. The borough council faces a budget shortfall of around £3.8m by 2022/3.

Waverley’s portfolio holder Haslemere councillor Ged Hall told the committee: “Once again I present a balanced budget with no cuts in services, no reductions in community grants and no raises in car-parking charges. There will be a small rise of 10p a week for a Band D property.”

Waverley leader Farnham councillor Julia Potts warned the borough council faced “tough times ahead”, saying: “We’ve got to find our way through the next three years when we have a funding gap of £3.8m”.

Waverley retains around ten per cent of the council tax collected in the borough – around £9.3m. Surrey County Council stands to get £71.8m and Surrey Police £12.1m, leaving towns and parishes with £2.9m.

Haslemere Town Council has agreed not to increase its precept for 2019/20.