THE government has been compared to the "Sheriff of Nottingham" as Weymouth and Portland Borough Council agreed to plans that would see it giving money to central government in the next few years.

Councils receive funding from the government through Revenue Support Grants (RSG) and Weymouth and Portland Borough Council's Management Committee recently met to agree plans on its 2017/18 budget.

Part of this was accepting the government's four year financial settlement, which shows that in 2019/20, rather than receiving money from central government the council will give it £486,487.

WPBC's strategic director, Jason Vaughan, explained why councillors should accept the four-year settlement.

He said: "The veiled threat is that if we don't accept it, it could get worse.

"Nobody knows the implication if we don't accept it. They only thing we can guarantee is that it won't be better."

Accepting the four-year settlement will provide more "certainty", it is hoped.

Councillors hit out at the government over the plans.

Cllr Ray Nowak said: "We're being asked to kill ourselves quickly or slowly, that is what we're being asked to agree.

"For the first time in history we're going to have councils subsidising central government.

"I think it is outrageous. I don't feel comfortable supporting the recommendations at all."

Plans to plug a forecasted £4 million budget black hole being faced by the council over the next few years include increasing council tax and charging more for services.

It is looking to close a budget gap of £1.8million.

Cllr Andy Blackwood said: "In 19/20 we will take money from the council tax payers and hand it straight to central government.

"We're going to have to go we're not using that payment to run services, we're going to have to hand it over to the chancellor of the exchequer.

"I feel like a mugging victim. I feel like we're being mugged off."

Cllr Christine James also took aim at central government, asking when the government changed its name to the "Sherriff of Nottingham".

Councillors agreed to put options in to the 2017/18 budget proposals including increasing council tax and charging the Weymouth Bid for levy collection.

These budget options will have to go before WPBC's full council before becoming part of the budget for 2017/18.

It was also agreed that the council accepts the government's four-year offer and that it approves the updated position on reserves.