AN extra 30p a week per household on council tax could help stop cuts to social care and children’s services in York, Labour has said.

The party’s councillors on City of York Council have put forward their alternative budget for the year ahead, and they want the higher council tax increase in a bid to reverse planned cuts, and put more money into education, housing, and economic development work.

The council's ruling Conservative - Liberal Democrat administration proposes a 3.7 per cent tax increase, and their budget will be debated on Thursday.

Labour’s alternative budget asks for a 4.99 per cent hike, which they say would cost a band D home an extra 30p a week, and bring in just under £1 million for the council.

Group leader Cllr Janet Looker said: “Standing up for York means protecting some of those services that support people who without them would really struggle. So we’d reverse many of the cruellest and unnecessary cuts in order to protect the most vulnerable people, such as older residents, disabled children and carers.”

Their proposals include reversing £75,000 in cuts for preventative work in adult social care, and stopping increases in care home fees; and reversing cuts to respite breaks and school transport for disabled children and those with special educational needs.

At the same time, they are proposing extra investment in closing the “attainment gap” between rich and poor children in school, and work to increase average wages; and they want to look into setting up a housing development company in a bid to provide more affordable rented homes.

York Press:

On top of that, they propose using leftover Lendal Bridge fine money - which the administration wants to use for transport improvements like pothole and footpath repairs, and investigating a cycle hire scheme - to ensure at least half the Park&Ride buses are pollution-free electric vehicles.

Cllr Neil Barnes, the group’s finance spokesman, said they thought the proposed budget forgot or ignored key service users.

He added: “The coalition seem to have ignored their own consultation which indicated that York residents would pay a small extra amount in their council tax rather than see their vulnerable family members targeted for cuts.”