INCREASES in council tax will not be enough to prevent the need for “further deep cuts” to local services, it has been warned.

Dorset County Councillors voted to increase its share of council tax by almost five percent for the 2017/18 financial year.

General council tax goes up by 1.99 percent and the social care precept by three percent.

Under new powers, councils are able to increase their council tax bills by an extra three per cent with the money ringfenced for adult social care funding in a bid to tackle the growing crisis in that area.

As a result of the proposed increase, a mid-range band D property in Dorset would see the county council’s share of the council tax increase from £1,263.78 to £1,326.87.

The Local Government Association has warned that across the country these increases will not bring in enough money to prevent the need for further deep cuts to local services.

The LGA is warning that the extra income will be swallowed up by the cost to councils of paying for the Government’s National Living Wage.

It added that councils will have to continue to divert more money from other local services, including filling potholes, maintaining parks and green spaces and running children’s centres, leisure centres and library to try and plug the growing social care funding gaps.

The LGA represents councils including Dorset County Council, West Dorset District Council and Weymouth and Portland Borough Council.

It is calling on the government to use the final Local Government Finance Settlement to provide new money for social care.

LGA chairman, Lord Gary Porter, said: “Services supporting the most vulnerable people in our communities are at breaking point and many councils are increasingly unable to turn down the chance to raise desperately-needed money.

“But extra council tax income will not bring in anywhere near enough money to alleviate the growing pressure on social care both now and in the future.

“Social care faces a funding gap of at least £2.6 billion by 2020. It cannot be left to council taxpayers alone to try and fix this crisis.”