Conservatives accused opponents of 'hammering' residents and leaving them to 'pick up the tab' as the council continues to 'overspend'.

West Oxfordshire District Council's 2024/25 budget, which raised council tax by 4.2 per cent - around 10p per week for the average band D property - and increased the cost of garden waste permits from £45 to  £50 each, was approved last week.

The Lib Dem, Labour and Green Alliance, which runs the council said it had agreed "a balanced budget," which allowed it to "sensibly manage the impact of increased costs and reduced Government funding on the council's finances".

Conservative opposition leader Michele Mead said "looking at the deficit that exists here, it doesn’t seem balanced to me".

"How can we trust you when a surplus of £5,000 is to be cheered when we’re actually looking at a current overspend forecast this year of £433,000?"

West Oxfordshire District Council bought Marriotts Walk shopping centre last year for £9million and recently spent £450,000 on refurbishing its chamber.

Ms Mead told the annual budget meeting that "£270,000 so far" has been put aside to dismantle Publica - the not-for-profit company owned by Cotswold, Forest of Dean, Cheltenham Borough Council and WODC - to bring most services back in house.

"This is going to be a very expensive divorce", she said, adding that the Alliance missed out on  £775,000 in rent because of empty properties.

"I said all these words last year and no lessons have been learned, nothing’s changed. The leader and his executive continue to spend money."

Last week, she said, the executive "committed to spending £1million on new bin lorries without any scrutiny".

"At the very least you should not be making the residents of West Oxfordshire ‘pay for your pet projects," she said.

Duncan Enright, Labour and Co-operative Group leader, said the council has been "extremely successful this year" in attracting external grant funding, and its new asset strategy is "making absolutely sure that the assets that belong to this council are used to best effect".

He added: "It’s very unusual to hear the replacement of essential waste collection fleet described as a pet project. It’s the kind of thing that I would call core business."

Lib Dem Charlie Maynard criticised the Conservative's complaints about the budget.

"You had the opportunity to put forward amendments and you put forward none," he said. 

Green Party Group Leader Rosie Pearson said she "struggled with this emotive and politically motivated term 'pet projects'.

"The projects funded by this budget are aimed among other things at lowering the carbon footprint of this council, helping residents lead cleaner and greener lives, delivering affordable housing. In what way are these pets?"

Deputy Conservative group leader Liam Walker said "these pet projects are like the room we’re sat in, this great chamber out a scene from the EU perhaps.

"I’m sure residents will be pleased to know they can hire it out for birthday parties and I’m sure there’d be optional extras like vegan lunches and party bags to go with it."

He added: "I’m sure [residents will] also be quite disappointed to hear about the dodgy backroom deals to bring big brands into Marriotts Walk – five months rent free apparently – to the detriment of other small independent businesses on the high street which only a matter of weeks ago have now shut up shop."

Councillor Alaric Smith, executive member for finance, said: "He clearly has now idea about how commercial property is managed and how you have to negotiate with potential tenants to get them in particularly in an environment where the economy is struggling.

"In my previous life I managed a portfolio of about 300 properties I know exactly how much you have to do and those deals are absolutely part of the process."

The budget was approved with 28 votes for, and 12 against.

The meeting stalled for a discussion on whether Mr Walker could speak as he had left the chamber to go to the toilet against the council rules.

Chair Andrew Coles allowed it on the basis he felt he had not made this clear but Mr Walker was not allowed to vote.

After the meeting he said it was "utterly ridiculous that councillors cannot leave the room even to use the facilities.

"This rule clearly needs to be changed and there seems to be cross-party support for doing this."