A COUNCIL tax rise of 4.8 per cent has been agreed by councillors.

The proposals were approved at Wednesday night’s council meeting, alongside budget cuts of more than £12.5 million over the next two years.

The council will also be using £30 million of its cash reserves to prevent the need to make further cuts to public services before 2019.

Cllr Cliff Morris, leader of the council, told the meeting, the first to be streamed online: “We have done everything we can to protect services for residents, but we are now at the point where in many cases it is almost impossible to provide anything other than the statutory minimum because there is simply not enough money to provide anything else.”

As well as confirming plans announced to the council’s cabinet last week — including the retention of the borough’s crossing patrol service — Cllr Morris also announced that half a million pounds will be set aside to develop a new borough-wide plan to tackle poverty.

He said that the one-off investment, which will start with the creation of an anti-poverty commission, could create “real change” in Bolton and help make the most of the town’s potential.

Cllr Morris, who was regularly booed by protesters in the public gallery, added: “The use of reserves is a calculated risk, but we have listened to the strength of opinion which many people have.

“However, this is only a short-term answer. It demands an open and honest debate about how we will be able to meet people’s expectations in the future.”

He added that the council has had a “strong tradition of financial management” over recent years . The council tax rise is made up of a three per cent levy ringfenced to fund adult social care, in addition to a 1.8 per cent general rise.

Cllr Ebrahim Adia said that spending any more of the council’s reserves would “put the people and services of Bolton at unnecessary risk.”

Labour councillors voted unanimously to support the budget proposals, and were joined by Liberal Democrat councillor Carole Swarbrick.

She said that she was “troubled” by her own parties budget proposals, and accused party leader Roger Hayes of courting UKIP’s support.