BUDGET plans proposed by Malvern Hills District Council for next year show a possible five per cent increase in Council Tax.

Provisional details indicate the council will receive a £3.75m Government grant next year but council leader Tom Wells said at a meeting on Tuesday that there were still budget pressures.

These include:

Liquor Licensing - the Government requires district councils to issue liquor and entertainment licenses from next April. This may equate to a one per cent increase in Council Tax.

recycling - the council's new recycling and collection scheme is more expensive than the previous arrangements for rubbish collection.

Concessionary fares - the council plans to introduce a concessionary fare scheme for young people, in addition to the existing scheme for older residents.

Sport - professional management of the refurbished Dyson Perrins sports hall will be considered.

Grants - the council hopes to allocate small grants to community groups next year.

Homelessness - the appointment of a designated homelessness worker is under consideration.

At a meeting of full council on Tuesday councillors agreed a list of six priorities which will be kept in mind when detailed spending plans are made.

These are, in priority order, recycling, affordable housing, community health and wellbeing, town centre regeneration, street scene and cleanliness and local transport.