A THREE per cent cut in council tax is being considered by Cotswold District Council (CDC).

The council's cabinet is planning to reduce council tax by three per cent for the 2015/16 financial year.

It is also considering the continuation of a freeze on prices for car parking, leisure and museum fees, and green waste collections.

Members of the cabinet will consider an updated Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) 2015/16 to 2018/19 when they meet on Thursday, November 6, and will then approve a round of public consultation to ascertain support for its budget proposals.

While the Council has previously agreed that there will be no increase in its share of the council tax bill for 2015/16, the MTFS shows that it would be feasible to reduce this share by a further three per cent.

If approved, this cut would mean that the council would have reduced council tax payments by 11 per cent over a three year period.

A nationwide best five per cent reduction in 2013/14 was followed by a joint best three per cent reduction for 2014/15.

It is also expected that the cabinet will also propose a continuation of the freeze on car parking charges, museum and leisure centre admission fees, and green waste licences during 2015/16.

Commenting on these proposals, CDC Leader Cllr Lynden Stowe, said: “I am delighted to see that the continuing success of our efficiency programme - including a further increase in partnership working with neighbouring authorities - has provided sufficient scope to deliver yet another reduction in our share of the council tax bill and will also allow us to freeze a range of other charges during 2015/16.

“We always strive to ensure that council taxpayers in the district get very good value for money, and the cumulative effect of reductions totalling 11 per cent over three years and a freeze on other fees should, I hope, be received favourably when we consult on the proposals.

"The economic outlook in the Cotswolds has improved markedly over the last two or three years, but every penny still counts and I believe that residents with more cash in their pockets might help to stimulate the local economy and job market even more.”