Those living in Swale can expect their council tax to rise by at least 5.6%.

Although Swale council has only increased its own tax by 2.7%, in line with inflation, it also collects money on behalf of other authorities.

If you live in Sittingbourne, Faversham or on the Isle of Sheppey, those in Band D homes will be paying an average of £1,744.75. Of that, £174.42 will go to the borough council for rubbish collections and leisure services.

The decision was made at full council last night (Wednesday).

Those with parish or town councils will pay more, including those in Sheerness who have a new town council starting in May.

Swale council needs to raise £8.26 million to cover its costs and has also built up reserves of nearly £20 million.

Labour leader Cllr Roger Truelove (Homewood) proposed using £1 million from the business rates 'volatility fund' for a £200,000 toilet and shower block at Barton's Point Coastal Park at Sheerness; £150,000 improvements at Minster Leas for the beach huts; £350,000 for an outdoor classroom at Milton Creek Country Park and £300,000 for a cafe and rustic play area at Oare Gunpowder Works near Faversham.

He said: "As far as Labour is concerned, this is the people's money. The council hasn't spent it so it should be returned to the people."

He added: "These developments will require additional officer support, so we propose the recruitment of a Grade 7 Project officer at a salary of £44,000 funded by the removal from the proposed budget of £54,000 for Spatial Planning salaries and thus saving £10,000 on the base budget."

He was backed by independent councillors Mike Baldock (Borden and Grove Park) and Mike Henderson (Priory) but he lost the vote.

Conservative Cllr Dave Simmons (Watling) said the council was already working on plans to improve Barton's Point and Minster Leas, and council leader Cllr Andrew Bowles (Boughton and Courtenay) said: "This amendment really does take the biscuit. It's throwing money around if it grows on trees."

Three other amendments tabled by Cllr Henderson were also thrown out. He wanted the £133,430 annual payment to Swale Citizens Advice Bureau increased by £40,000; £50,000 to start providing electric car charging points and £1 million to be spent on Faversham swimming pool.

He was told the council had continued to contribute to the CAB and had helped it move offices into the council's own headquarters; that charging points were already being installed in Sittingbourne's new multi-storey car park and Swallows Leisure Centre and Faversham swimming pool was no longer owned by the council although it had spent more than £175,000 on it.

New Tax

The complete new council tax (with percentage increases in brackets) for Band D properties breaks down as follows:

Swale - £174.42 (2.7%)

Kent County Council - £1,299.42 (4.99%)

Kent Police & Crime Commissioner - £193.15 (14.9%)

Kent & Medway Fire & Rescue Authority - £77.76 (2.98)

Total: £1,744.75 (5.6%)

Last year the overall increase was 4.95%.

Those with parish or town councils will pay an average of £1,773.63

Most properties (63.7%) in Swale are in bands A-C meaning they will pay less.

The funding the council receives from central government has fallen from £1.95 million in 2016/17 to £113,000 in 2019/20. By 2020/21 it is expected to reduce to nothing.

Cllr Duncan Dewar-Whalley (Bobbing, Iwade and Lower Halstow), cabinet member for finance, was unveiling his final budget before he retires in May.

He said the council had "enormous vision" and was "punching above its weight" but complained it was against a backdrop of central Government's continued austerity.

He warned of "uncertain" times and predicted local government would face its biggest financial challenge in the next two years.

He said: “Dark stormy clouds are on the horizon. We have to look to a very uncertain future.

"Most importantly this budget will give the new administration, whatever the political make-up in May, a sound and solid foundation to work from and will be able to use our assets to the best advantage, regenerating our borough, making certain that our investments provide a regular income to offset annual costs and to contribute to our self-financing strategy.

“We have worked hard to make sure the loss of funding from central government hasn’t led to any reduction in the delivery of our frontline services.

“This has not been easy and difficult decisions have had to be made, so we are proposing a modest increase in council tax so we can continue to invest in the services that are important to local people.

“This means a typical band D property will be paying just £3.35 a week for the services we provide and almost two-thirds of local households will pay less than that.

“I think most people would be more than happy paying that just to have their bins taken away, let alone for things like the budgeted for improvements for parks and leisure facilities, street cleaning, environmental health, homelessness and planning."

He added: "In the last century we had the roaring 20s. We can break through those dark stormy clouds and into the bright sunshine. and enter the Golden Age, the 2020s."

An exasperated Cllr Angela Harrison (Lab, Sheerness) responded: "Local government has been cut, cut, cut by this Conservative Government. So why aren't our Conservative councillors lobbying against this? You should be doing something about it."

What you will pay where you live (Band D properties)

No parish or town council

£1,744.75

Sittingbourne

Bapchild £1,771.15

Bobbing £1,764.70

Borden £1,799.17

Bredgar £1,780.45

Hartlip £1,766.83

Iwade £1,780.18

Lower Halstow £1,826.62

Lynsted £1,780.45

Milstead £1,808.58

Newington £1,797.44

Rodmersham £1,787.71

Teynham £1,799.53

Tonge £1,750.33

Tunstall £1,773.45

Upchurch £1,794.75

Sheppey

Eastchurch £1,786.68

Leysdown £1,765,79

Minster £1,772.36

Queenborough £1,820.40

Sheerness £1,794.75

Warden £1,774.40

Faversham

Boughton-under-Blean £1,826.40

Doddington £1,782.79

Dunkirk £1,769.01

Eastling £1,779.75

Faversham £1,802.74

Graveney & Goodnestone £1,804.08

Hernhill £1,779.51

Luddenham £1,744.75

Newnham £1,779.04

Norton & Buckland £1,778.99

Oare £1,796.07

Ospringe £1,771.17

Selling £1,799.55

Sheldwich, Leaveland

& Badlesmere £1,769.14

Stalisfield £1,773.88

Throwley £1,766.24