By Amy Orton

Ashby residents face a four per cent rise in Council tax from April.

The increase will affect the whole of Leicestershire.

Councillor Byron Rhodes, cabinet member for finance at Leicestershire County Council, introduced the Tory authority's plans to bring in the largest increase it can implement as the "tenth austerity budget".

The average household will pay £50 more per year as a result of the increase which will raise around £12 million overall.

Coun Rhodes said that the extra cash raised will be spent on "supporting vulnerable people".

Councillors said that the main cost pressure facing the authority is Special Educational Needs and Disabilities – an area that could rack up a deficit of £40m over the next four years.

Coun Simon Galton, leader of the Lib Dem opposition, said his party could not support the budget despite "some positives".

He described the council's financial situation as "very worrying" and "uncertain".

He added: "Cuts approved in previous budgets are still being rolled out. People can't understand why this is still happening when they're being told that austerity is over.

"There is an increasing dependency on council tax.

"We're also relying too heavily on one off grants that we have to jump through hoops to get. Can't the government just trust us to say here's our plan, here's our priority, this is what we need the money for?

"We acknowledge this is a less painful budget than some in the last 8-10 years but the future still remains uncertain."

Leader of the Labour group at County Hall, Coun Dr Terri Eynon said: "150 other upper tier authorities are facing the same fiscal pressures.

"I have to praise our officers for delivering a legal budget for the next two years despite austerity being inflicted upon this authority by national Tory government.

"We also must thank our residents for their patience and willingness (though we've not been on Facebook yet) to pay more and get less."

The council's leader, Nick Rushton asked both opposition parties to "please abstain" rather than vote against the budget.

Coun Dan Harrison (Con) said the opposition parties were "silly" and "churlish" not to vote for the proposals which he described as an "amazing" and "fantastic" document.

He went on to shout at members of the opposition for being "smug and smiling" and lamented them for not presenting an alternative.

The motion was passed with Conservative councillors voting for it unanimously, six Labour members abstained and the remaining Lib Dems voted against it with some answering "churlishly against" when they were asked for their vote.

After the meeting, Coun Rhodes said: "This is a budget balancing growing service demands and investment in priorities, with residents' needs at its heart.

"We can balance the books for two years, thanks to our strong foundations, but a gap is looming. Rising demand for services is generating ever-growing pressure. "Since 2010, we've saved £210m and eventually, we won't be able to do it anymore. "With special education needs and disability support at record levels here and nationwide, it's an issue the Government simply have to recognise.

"Last summer, we asked residents about their priorities. And investment in tackling climate change, boosting road maintenance spend and supporting vulnerable people reflect their feedback."

The £600m capital part of the budget features a range of one-off investments supporting new homes – new roads, school places and social care accommodation and further rolling out broadband, as well as maintaining roads and drains – and a £16m investment in tackling climate change.

Coun Rhodes said: "At £600m, our capital pot is the largest ever. But with new homes planned, it's vital we support our communities by ensuring new roads and schools are in place with the biggest investment in the county's infrastructure for a generation."