SURREY County Council leader David Hodge has announced shock plans to increase council tax by 15 per cent this April.

The county council demands the lion’s share of the tax bill paid by households across Surrey, receiving roughly 74p of every pound paid in council tax.

A 15 per cent rise, which Mr Hodge says is necessary to bridge a huge shortfall in the council’s budget, would represent a £190.24 annual increase to the average Band D household’s tax bill in Farnham.

It will, however, by law require the consent of the Surrey voting public in a referendum, likely to coincide with the county elections this May.

Announcing the tax proposals on Thursday, Mr Hodge said: “We have to set a budget that will protect vital services for Surrey residents.

“Government has cut our annual grant by £170m since 2010 - leaving a huge gap in our budget. Demand for adults social care, learning disabilities and children’s services is increasing every year.

“So I regret, despite us finding £450m worth of savings from our annual budget, we have no choice but to propose this increase in council tax.”

The proposed tax hike, which is expected to be put to Surrey’s cabinet on Tuesday, January 31, has already faced criticism from the leader of Surrey’s Labour group, councillor Robert Evans.

“I’m afraid this just shows how badly Surrey Conservatives have mismanaged the county’s financial affairs,” said Mr Evans.

“Council tax is an unfair and unbalanced tax, which hits the poorest hardest. But the real issue is the complacency and incompetence in the way they have run the council. Presumably, they even think Surrey people will back them in a referendum. I think not.

“We have a Conservative Government and a Conservative county council. Surrey has eleven Tory MPs one of whom is Philip Hammond, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and yet they still can’t balance the books. It’s a disgrace.

“This top heavy administration have spent money on huge allowances for themselves, and got their priorities all wrong.

“They found £1.5 million pounds last year on a huge Magna Carta day and now they want to close fire-stations. It’s just not right.

“If the Conservatives can’t make things work with the money they get from their own government, then they should step aside and let others take over. Others who will have alternative priorities and put the people of Surrey first.”