A freeze in council tax increase for Worcester City Council will be proposed Tuesday evening by Conservatives at the Guildhall.

Leader of the group, and deputy leader of the council, Marc Bayliss will suggest that the budget for 2018/19 sees no increase in the tax it levies compared to the 2.85 per cent rise that is proposed by the administration.

He says that consistent underspends have left the council with no need for extra money.

He said: “There has been an underspend of at least £300,000 every year for the last eight years, sometimes it’s been as high as £600,000. That means there’s £2.5 million at least that hasn’t been spent.”

Cllr Bayliss said the proposed 2.9 per cent increase would bring in money that was easily covered by the accumulated underspends.

He added: “This increase will bring in about £125,000. The council doesn’t need to raise that money, because it has been sensible and it’s in a strong financial position.

“I don’t think that council tax should be raised unless it’s absolutely necessary, and it isn’t this year.

“I know the increase is only a few pounds, but we should leave that money in the pockets of the public. Every penny helps.”

With the council split down the middle politically, Cllr Bayliss said he expected 17 Conservative councillors to vote for the freeze, and therefore only needed one of the 16 Labour or two Green councillors in the chamber to agree with him to get the measure through.

He also said that Labour county councillors were likely to vote against an increase in the tax set at County Hall, and thought that those members also on the city council would do the same.

Councillor Adrian Gregson, Labour leader of the city council rejected that argument.

He said: “There are Conservative members of the county council, who are in cabinet, making decisions, who will vote for an increase in that council’s tax. It’s hypocritical for them to vote for a freeze in the city council.”

He added: “The government funding model is based on the government’s expectation that we’ll be putting up council tax, so there’s a shortfall if we don’t. And it’s dangerous to base a freeze on an underspend, if you don’t know what it will be, or even exist.

“The increase is very small, about £3 per person, but cumulatively it allows the city council to deliver its services much more effectively.”

Cllr Bayliss will make his proposal at Tuesday night's Resources and Policy Committee meeting. If it isn’t adopted by that committee he says he will put it forward at the council’s full meeting on Tuesday, February 20 where the final decision will be made on next year’s budget proposals.