WILTSHIRE householders are facing a 5.9 per cent rise in their council tax after the unitary authority published its budget proposals for the next financial year.

The council is facing cuts amounting to £52 million - £26m in lost government grants and £26m in local pressures. Its proposals include plans for £25.5m in savings which could result in up to 100 posts being cut across services

The local authority declared it will continue to deliver vital frontline services and invest in key areas despite facing an £18.5m cut in Government Settlement Funding Allocation from £72.3m to £53.8m.

At a special budget briefing, council officers said they faced a further loss of £6m due to the Government not continuing the Transitional Grant. Due to the reduced funding and increased costs and service demands, savings of £25.5m have been proposed to balance the books.

From April, residents living in an average Band D property will face paying an extra 22p per day or £1.54 for their council services. The council tax per Band D household is going up from £1,334.63 last time to £1,414.57 – an increase of £79.94 or 5.9 per cent.

Wiltshire Council leader, Baroness Jane Scott of Bybrook, said: “It’s not all rosy. It’s really hard out there. Each year we face the tough challenge of balancing the budget to ensure that we can allocate sufficient funding to deliver our priorities – and each year since we became Wiltshire Council we have done this.

“Continuing to protect those who are most vulnerable is a growing challenge, but one that we are committed to prioritising.”

Cllr Philip Whitehead, the Cabinet Member for Finance, said Wiltshire had one of the lowest council taxes, with no increases from 2010 to 2016.

The budget is due to be set at full council on February 20.