COUNCIL tax in the county could be increased by almost five per cent according to Wiltshire Council, after announcing that there would still be a shortfall of almost £13million in next year’s budget.

A rise of 1.99 per cent for council tax has already been agreed, as has a two per cent levy which will go towards adult and social care.

A further one per cent could also be added to the levy if the proposal is agreed at a full council meeting on February 21.

“Things are getting tougher year-on-year, services requirements are going up,” said Baroness Jane Scott, leader of Wiltshire Council.

“The big pressures are in adult social care, not just for the elderly but adults with mental health problems and adults with physical disabilities.

“That [social care levy] will help us build the budget which is running very hot at the moment because there are a number of people that require care and we need to give them good care.”

“It’s a difficult decision to put council tax up.”

Despite the increase, which would mean an extra £1.69 per week for a band D property or £87.88 for the year, Wiltshire Council estimate there will still be a shortfall of more than £13million.

As a result, up to 100 jobs will be cut across Wiltshire Council and changes will be made to the way services are delivered, including around disabled adults, and the voluntary sector will lose a further 10 per cent of funding.

“A lot of those will be vacant posts now, we just won’t be filling them so there will be minimal redundancies,” added Baroness Scott.

“We’re looking at how are other people looking after adults with learning disabilities?

“When we look at our unit costs they are higher than quite a lot of areas around us.

“I don’t think it’s about less services I think it’s about different services.

“We agreed with the voluntary sector two years ago that we would be taking 20 per cent out, and we’ve been working with them to join up.”

A total of £14m will be raised by the increase in council tax which will offset almost £14m which will not be distributed by the government, from £86.71m to £72.31m.

Coun Dick Tonge, Wiltshire Council cabinet member for finance, said: “We are under pressure from the government, they are reducing our grants but we’re still investing quite a bit of capital.”