CHESHIRE West and Chester Council members ratified a two-year council tax freeze on Monday night, March 10.

A recommendation not to raise council tax in 2014-15 and to suggest the same for the following year was backed by 69 votes - with one abstention - at the Budget Council meeting.

The decision means CWAC’s standard Band D council tax rate for 2014-15 will remain unchanged at £1,275.23.

But opposition members claimed proposals unfairly affected the most vulnerable members of society.

Councillor Ben Powell, opposition spokesman for finance, maintained that the budget amounted to children’s centres across the borough facing closure and communities left at risk because of cuts to the CCTV and Community Safety budgets.

He added that parents of children with disabilities faced a bill of £1,200 a year to get their children to 6th form, fewer roads gritted, £100,000 taken from a fund to support those in crisis and £12,000 a year charged in rent to food banks – including Winsford’s.

The budget was supported by 37 votes to 31, with two abstentions.