A COUNCIL tax freeze in Worcester has been endorsed by the city council's leadership - bringing the prospect closer to reality.

The Conservative cabinet has backed a suggestion that rates should be frozen next year, meaning it will go to a vote of all councillors in February.

During a meeting last night, the party said it was intent on "delivering on a pledge" to keep the rates down.

The cabinet also agreed to support a revised in-house financial blueprint running to 2019/20, known as the Medium Term Financial Plan.

The document, which spells out the council's broad spending strategy over the coming years, includes:

- £1 million will be put aside every year for shaping Worcester "as a place", in other words new ideas to boost the city's appeal, economy or profile

- Freezes in car parking charges are expected to be the norm, while the cleaner and greener department, which includes parks and bin collections, will be a priority for investment

- As assumed pay rise of one per cent for staff in 2015/16 and two per cent for every following year

- A balanced budget for the next three years, followed by an £800,000 shortfall by 2019/20 which will need to be plugged by fresh, currently unidentified cuts

Councillor Marc Bayliss, deputy leader and cabinet member for economic prosperity, said: "There hasn't been a time in my 13 years on this council where there hasn't been challenges and unforeseen events.

"But what we've got here is a balanced budget and £1 million has been put aside every year for 'place shaping' so we can make Worcester the kind of city we all want it to be.

"A freeze in council tax is something which I am sure will be welcomed by people across the city, who are facing up the cost of living and other pressures."

Councillor Chris Mitchell, cabinet member for finance, said: "We are working on a balanced budget for the next three years, which is a big improvement on where we were 12 months ago.

“We're looking to deliver that council tax freeze next year and develop Worcester as a place so that people who live here, families who bring up children, see it as a place to live, work and play, to steal a Mars Bar phrase.

"It's a budget we can be proud of and one that delivers on this administration's promises."

The strategy will be examined by a committee of backbench councillors in December before a final, detailed budget will be sent for consultation ahead of a vote at full council in February.

Worcestershire County Council, which controls 72 per cent of the rates bill, has not yet decided what to do with its portion of the charge next year.