 COUNCIL tax bills in Liverpool are to rise by at least £22.30 a year. The charge for band A households will stand at just under £790, up 2.9% from last year. But the overall charge will increase slightly once it is topped up with the yearly bills from the police (£85) and fire service (£38.50). The council’s ruling Liberal Democrat group will propose the rise as part of this year’s budget at a meeting next week, where it is a near certainty to be rubber-stamped. The increase is below the national average and lower than last year’s 3.3% figure. The relatively low rise comes as a surprise after weeks of speculation about a cash crisis. At the start of the month, it emerged that councillors had to find almost £50m to slash from this year’s budget. But council leader Warren Bradley today said vast savings had been found by ordering stringent efficiency measures. A planned multi-million pound payment into the Capital of Culture fund has also been postponed. Councillors will now work out a way of funding the payment at a later date. Cllr Bradley said: “It has not been easy. We have shaken every tree to find back-office savings. “But no frontline services will be affected. There will be no closures of sport centres or cuts to library opening hours.” This year, the council will spend an extra £7m on social services, including setting up a pool of foster carers. Around £800,000 will be spent on street cleansing to tidy up the city for 2008, while £1m will be used to set up the new Liverpool plc agency to attract investment. Opposition leader Joe Anderson said this year’s difficult budget process was a result of poor financial management by the Lib Dems in the past. nick.coligan@liverpoolecho.com Proposed council tax levels for 2007/8 across Merseyside WIRRAL: Plans for a rise of 4.1% expected to be agreed tomorrow. Levies and police/ fire precepts will be in addition. Band A: £763.11 (with precepts £886.63); Band D: £1,144.66 (with precepts £1,329.94) SEFTON: An estimated 2.99% rise is expected to be set tomorrow. With police/fire precepts and other levies this could rise to 4.27%. Band A: £761.58 (with precepts £885.10); Band D: £1,142.36 (with precepts £1,327.64) KNOWSLEY: Proposed council tax charges, including all levies and precepts due to be decided on March 7. Band A: £848.03; Band D: £1,272.05 ST HELENS: Current council tax charges, including all precepts and levies. Figures for 2007/8 out on March 7. Band A: £826.42; Band D: £1,239.64 POLICE precept shows a 5% increase to – band A: £85.02/band D: £127.53. FIRE precept shows a 3.46% increase to – band A: £38.50/band D: £57.76 | 
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