NORTH Somerset Council’s “rainbow coalition” administration has passed its budget — which will see council tax rise by 5 per cent — after a “brutal” debate.

The budget will see council tax increased by 4.99 per cent, including a 2 per cent precept ring fenced for adult social care, the maximum any local authority can raise their council tax without a referendum.

Together with the precepts not set by the council, such as those for fire and police services, the total amount a standard band D household will pay will be about £2,062 — about £103 more than this year — although this will vary by a few pounds depending on which town or parish someone lives in.

But Ash Cartman, the council’s executive member for corporate services, said that despite the rise, North Somerset still had a lower council tax rate than its neighbours.

It is the last budget before North Somerset heads into local elections in May. The council has been run by a “rainbow coalition” of Liberal Democrat, independent, Labour, and Green councillors since 2019, when the Conservatives lost control of the council for the first time since 2007.

The coalition’s record —  as well as that of the Conservative opposition —  was on trial in a “brutal” 45 minute debate in the New Council Chamber in Weston-super-Mare Town Hall before the budget was passed.

Mr Cartman said: “Many of us were new in 2019 and did not expect to get elected, let alone in an administration running the council, […] but I think from the start we did have a desire to be different.”

He added: “Despite what some said at the time, it has not been a coalition of chaos. It did not dissolve into arguments and acrimony. In fact our differences have become our very strength I think, and we have shown that a new style of politics is actually possible.”

He said: “We came up with the idea of being fair, open, and green, and that has guided us in terms of the budget that we’ve set.”

The more than £200m budget required the council to find £17m of cuts and savings, the council identified in autumn, but the unpopular move to save £300,000 by shutting Backwell Recycling Centre was dropped from the plans.

 Mr Cartman insisted: “We have debated, we have listened, and we have changed our minds in response to what people have said to us.”

He added that the council had won over £100m of investment for North Somerset, saying: “That’s almost £1,000 for every household and we should all be proud of that as a council.”

But leader of the Conservative group Nigel Ashton hit back: “I do say thank you for saying how the Conservative government has given you so much money —  you couldn’t have done it without them.”

He said: “Local government is now more than ever about providing statutory services, and not imposing on our residents, pet ideological policies, diverting funds and wasting time, that even members of the [executive] have told me they didn’t agree with but had to support in a coalition.

“I’m sorry; just saying ‘climate change’ every time does not reduce the need to provide other more immediate services. ”

He criticised the council and the budget as not including enough for children’s services and adult social care,  and for closing the Castlewood council offices, for introducing bus lanes which he claimed would increase congestion, and for not reducing the number of new homes planned.

But Bridget Petty, the council’s executive member for climate emergency and engagement, said: “If you don’t like something, come with a proposal. I’m asking —  it's the fourth year running —  where is the alternative budget that the Conservatives are proposing?”

Conservative councillor Peter Crew said: “I don’t have a problem with the overall budget because it makes sense we have to to this [although] things in it, I don’t like. But what annoys me is where members will come in this chamber tonight and go on about it and don’t attend the sessions we have had.

“There’s been three sessions on the budget. I’ve come forward with some thoughts on what should be done and they’ve been taken on board. So don’t ever say Conservatives haven’t been involved.”

He added: “Where the work is done isn’t in this chamber. This chamber’s rubber-stamping what we do. What we do is in the committees and the working groups.”

The leader of the council, Steve Bridger, said: “Can I […] say thank you to Ash [Cartman], my executive colleagues, and all those who have challenged us, particularly though scrutiny and I include two or three members of the opposition in that —  most especially Councillor Crew.”

But he slammed Mr Ashton’s comments as “absolutely pathetic” and said that the previous Conservative administration had “decimated” the council’s youth services.

He said: “I think North Somerset has hugely benefited from our multi-party rainbow coalition.”

Closing the debate, Mr Cartman said: “It feels a bit —  shall I say — brutal tonight ”

He said some Conservative councillors do “a really good job,” but criticised Mr Ashton and said: “To call our beliefs ideological […] misses the point, because we would call your belief ideological. We stand up for a set of values like you do.”

He added: “It is ideological, and people need to think about what they want.”

Councillors voted to approve the budget.

The local elections for North Somerset Council are coming up on May 4.

For the first time, voters will need to show photo ID at the polling booth in order to vote.

If you do not have a valid form of photo ID, you can get a Voter Authority Certificate by visiting www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate.