THE leader of Swindon Borough Council has welcomed the decision to increase the council tax referendum limit.

Earlier this week, the government announced its plans for local authority funding for the coming financial year.

In it, communities secretary Sajid Javid increased the general council tax referendum limit from 1.99 per cent to 2.99 per cent for 2018/19 and 2019/20.

This means that a local authority must hold a referendum if it wishes to increase council tax by more than 2.99 per cent, were previously the threshold was 1.99 per cent.

It is a move that could see people in Swindon paying ever larger amounts of council tax.

Indeed, David Renard, the leader of Swindon Borough Council, has previously called for all council tax caps to be removed completely.

Because of this, it has been anticipated that Coun Renard would back the rule changes, but there were also suggestions that he might think them insufficient.

Speaking yesterday, the council leader said he supported Mr Javid’s pans, but he stressed the need to “keep any council tax rise as low as possible”.

He said: “I welcome the change by central government, such as raising the capping limit, that puts more decision-making power back into the hands of local councillors.”

It comes as the council are trying to save £30m over the next two and half years.

He renewed the council’s pledge to “protect the most vulnerable in our society” and stressed that he and his colleagues will be putting forward their council tax proposals in February “once we have taken into account all the demands for services, the revenue and grants available, and any comments from residents and business”.

However, one of the most contentious issues in this year’s financial settlement is the lack of help offered to local authorities in dealing with their social care responsibilities.

In response to the settlement, the Local Government Association said: “It is extremely disappointing that the government has again chosen not to address the continuing funding gap for children’s and adult social care.

“An injection of new money from central government is the only way to protect the vital services which care for older and disabled people, protect children and support families.”

Last year, Swindon Borough Council’s gross spending on adult social care, which includes elderly care and looking after vulnerable adults, hit £68.3m – up more than £4m from 2015/16.

For the 2017/18 financial year, the council’s budget for adult services is projected to have an overspend of £92,000. The overspend for children’s services is expected to be around £3.3m.

Addressing the social care issue, Coun Renard said: “While I know that my colleagues Councillors Foley and Ford would always welcome more central government support for the statutory services we provide, services that have to meet demands set by legislation and the courts, we are all aware that the money has to come from tax payers.

“There are limits to any tax increases whether they be local or national. There is no magic ‘money tree’.”