BCP Council is warned over 'reckless' budget plans

The amended budget plans will go to full council on 21 February

A council has been accused of financial "recklessness" over its draft budget.

Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council unveiled its proposals last week, including £35m of cuts and a 4.99% increase in council tax.

But the Tory-led administration is now considering a 3% tax rise, using "other sources" to make up the shortfall.

Opposition councillors have criticised the plans, while BCP's chief finance officer Adam Richens said the scale of proposed cuts was "not without risk".

He said: "It's not just changes to service level, it's also about changes to the way we work and clearly it's not something that's delivered overnight.

"It's based on a budget that assumes £35m worth of savings - that is equivalent to the entire level of savings delivered by the council over the last three years - so that is not without risk."

'Uber-electioneering'

Liberal Democrat councillor Mike Cox said: "It's absolutely eye-watering, the amounts of cuts to services.

"It's appalling, and the sheer recklessness of the administration to try and cut it further and to try and remove a source of funding such as council tax is sheer and utter recklessness and it's just uber-electioneering."

But council leader Drew Mellor responded: "We've had a really consistent policy. We do not believe raising tax for residents is the answer to fund local services.

"Our adult social services budget has gone up by £25m this year - council tax isn't the answer. We need to be much bolder and also more commercial, looking at other sources."

The amended budget plans will be discussed by cabinet next week and will go to full council on 21 February.