BARNSLEY Council leader Sir Steve Houghton described the latest budget as ‘even better than last year’ - but admits whether or not it is seen through depends what happens in May’s local elections.

Councillors approved the 3.4 per cent council tax increase - with members stating it is amongst the lowest rise in the country.

The hike - lower than last year’s 4.9 per cent rise is in line with inflation and bosses have opted to not increase council tax by the maximum of five per cent - unlike other councils across the country.

Coun Robert Frost, cabinet spokesperson for core services, said: “I am pleased to announce this Labour-run council has managed to keep the council tax bill under maximum.

“It is one of the lowest in the country.

“With the fire and police precepts, it equates to no more than £1.25 per week for most households.”

As part of the budget, additional investment will be put into the council’s Great Childhoods Ambition scheme.

The council’s MiCard scheme, which launched last August, is set to run for another year while school uniform grants - which saw parents receive a boost to pay for their child’s school uniform - are also to be continued.

Year 11 pupils will once again receive support packs and the budget will allow for another year of covering the cost of Base71 membership for youngsters across the town.

But the council say it’s not just young people who will benefit from the budget.

Pensioners will receive a cost-of-living allowance and working-age people eligible for council tax support will receive it once again.

An extra £2m investment will be used to fix potholes and resurface local roads, with a total £18.3m into Barnsley’s highways in the coming year.

While a total of £55m will be spent to invest in council housing - including a £24m repairs programme.

There will also be a 100 per cent business rate relief to eligible retail, leisure and hospitality businesses.

Coun James Higginbottom, cabinet spokesperson for environment and highways, told the meeting the town is currently at a ‘crossroads’ - and urged members to approve the budget.

He said: “When other councils are grappling with the inexorable rise in demand and costs and are left facing the grim spectre of section 114 notices, Barnsley remains in a strong financial position yet again.

“Not comfortable, but resilient.

“And in a position where we can continue to invest in the priorities that matter to our residents.

“This is a budget for investment - a budget that backs Barnsley, a budget that continues to move our town in the right direction.

“This investment and progress is on the ballot paper in May.

“The choice of taking Barnsley forwards and continuing our regeneration or going backwards to a place of mistrust and suspicion.

“We stand at the crossroads in our town’s future: we cannot afford to put progress at risk.”

Coun Hannah Kitching, leader of the Liberal Democrats in Barnsley, said: “We’re always pleased to see investment in young people and cost-of-living initiatives.

“I hope that many of these proposals survive the next few months and years.

“But you all know the drill.

“If you cannot support our amendment, we are therefore against this budget.”

The budget was passed with 40 councillors in favour and 14 voting against.

Sir Steve told the Chronicle that the budget is ‘better’ than last year’s - and described it as the ‘best in 15 years’.

He said: “There’s money in there for free bus fares to continue, for the school uniform grants to continue, for the GCSE revision packages to continue, for the transport grants for low paid workers to continue, and for the cost of living grants to pensioners and people on benefit to continue.

“So that will benefit people, no end.

“It’s one of the lowest council tax rises in the country, 3.4 per cent.

“So again, we’ve done that to help people with cost of living.

“We’ve budgeted children’s and adult social care in that, so out of that 3.4 per cent, two per cent is for adult social care, to make sure we can provide the services for our older people.

“It’s a huge package that people will see a massive benefit from.

“What we don’t want is to lose all that in May.

“Without a doubt it’s a really positive budget - but whether it gets seen through or not will depend on what happens in May.”