PROPOSALS to raise council tax in Christchurch by 1.95 per cent have moved a step closer to fruition.

Members of Christchurch Borough Council’s resources committee approved the proposals at their meeting on Wednesday night, forecasting the economic situation to get worse for local authorities in the next few years.

The rise will amount to six pence a week for a Band D household – who will pay £177.98, an increase of £3.40 from £174.58.

Cllr Mike Duckworth, portfolio holder for performance said: “I think we all need to realise if that without the partnership, today we could be looking at losing services.

“The worrying thing is if we continue to accept the freeze grants, by 2015 we are going to be looking at a very large increase.”

Leader of the council, Cllr Ray Nottage, said: “We have to be sustainable. I think we have done the sensible thing in the parameters which have been laid down to us.”

Over the past two years, the government grant to Christchurch council has been cut by 28 per cent.

If the council were to accept the freeze grant offered by central government – temporary funding for two years – they would receive £32,921. But by raising council tax by 1.95 per cent, they will raise £64,000.

Christchurch council's part of the council tax is around 11 per cent of the total amount raised in the borough.