TAXPAYERS are being warned the 'risky creative financing ideas' Warrington Borough Council is taking to balance its budget could 'go wrong'.

On Monday, February 27, the authority is set to approve the £136.35 million budget, which includes a 4.98 per cent council tax increase.

It includes £8.8 million of saving proposals following further cuts from Government, leaving a shortfall of £1.1 million.

The town's Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Bob Barr said 'politicians are relying on officers to make the cuts'.

He added: "Local government funding is now broken – it is impossible to make ends meet.

"Warrington Labour pretend that this problem started in 2010. It didn't.

"Warrington has had funding cuts every year since Labour's budget for 2005-06.

"This budget, like last year's, is totally opaque. There has been little consultation. What will be cut isn't clear.

"The council is taking risks in borrowing to fund banking activity. So far, the risks are paying off, and help the budget.

"However, we can't be sure that some of these creative financing ideas won't go wrong.

"Having abolished elections in Warrington until 2020, Labour are not being held to account by the voters, so services will continue to be reduced, charges will increase and no one will accept responsibility for the situation."

Earlier this month, council leader Cllr Terry O'Neill wrote to Prime Minister Theresa May to 'seek assurance' that any 'special deal' given to Surrey County Council to fund social care will be offered to all authorities.

But Warrington South MP David Mowat has responded to concerns on the matter.

He said: "Decisions on levels of council tax are always, and should always be, a matter for local authorities.

"The Government has allowed councils greater flexibility to use council tax to fund social care.

"95 per cent of local authorities made use of the social care precept in the current financial year and plan to invest an extra £382 million in adult social care.

"Surrey County Council has signed up to a pilot programme allowing it to keep 100 per cent of its business rates during 2018-19.

"The Government has made it absolutely clear that all local authorities are able to apply to join that pilot programme and it encourages them to do so."