PEOPLE across Worcester say a new swimming pool is bottom of their list of priorities – but could stomach a council tax rise to help safeguard vital services.

They don’t want car parking charges to go up, but believe fees for planning applications, private development and rubbish collections for companies could increase to help the city’s financial crisis.

Worcester City Council has just published the results of a summer-long survey designed to gauge the views of residents.

The results shine a light on what people think about public services, taxation, and what direction they want the authority to go in.

More than 460 people took part, with a new multi-million pound pool at Perdiswell resoundingly bottom in what people think is most important to the city’s future.

Arts and culture ended up second bottom, suggesting residents believe the city can afford to slash funding for it amid difficult economic conditions.

The top three priorities are making sure Worcester is safe, having clean streets and maintaining rubbish collections.

Most controversially of all, 91 per cent of people doing their own budget calculator opted for a council tax rise of “some sort”, with 43 per cent of those suggesting they could stomach a two per cent hike.

Only six per cent called for a reduction, and three per cent said it should be frozen for a fourth year on the trot.

Attitudes to that have hardened, as a similar survey in 2011 led to just 34 per cent of respondents calling for an increase.

They were also asked to suggest what services should increase as a way of bringing in more funds from next April.

Car parking charges in Worcester were slashed as low as 40p for half an hour and £1 after 7pm back in January by the old Conservative administration, with the results backing that move.

Just 23 per cent of online and paper respondents suggested they go back up, making it the most protected area by some distance.

But elsewhere, 71 per cent said building control fees can go up – charges on developers for routine checks on new builds.

And 72 per cent said trade waste – fees for collecting rubbish from private companies – could go up, while 69 per cent called for rises to planning application charges.

The current Labour administration is preparing for a 1.99 per cent council tax rise next year, adding 6p per week to the average band D bill. 

It has also shelved proposals for an eight-lane, £13.5m pool in favour of pushing for a six-lane, cheaper version.

As your Worcester News revealed yesterday, it is drawing up plans to cut £4m from spending by 2019 due to falls in government funding. 

The results will be discussed when the Labour cabinet meets at the Guildhall on Tuesday.

Councillor Lynn Denham, cabinet member for community engagement, said: “It’s fascinating to get a genuine insight into people’s views.”