CHERWELL District Council has insisted it will be able to protect its services despite a 12.7 per cent cut in government funding and a continued council tax freeze.

On February 20 councillors approved the budget for the 2017/18 financial year, which will deliver all of its services for a grand total of £18.8m.

For the eighth year running the local authority has pledged not to increase council tax but was divided on the decision to increase councillors' allowances.

The budget will pay for services across North Oxfordshire including waste and recycling collections, leisure centres, planning and street cleansing.

Council lead member for finance Ken Atack, said: "We are following through on our pledge to protect services without forcing people to pay more.

"The current climate makes it very hard for the council to protect services without placing an excessive burden on taxpayers.

"However our proactive approach means that we can balance our books without affecting frontline services."

The 2017 business plan lists a number of key pledges including the delivery of the Bicester Healthy New Town project and the completion of the pavilion at the Whitelands Farm Sports Ground.

It also pledges a fast response time when dealing with flytips, the improvement of the lives of the most vulnerable through its 'Brighter Futures' initiative and an ongoing commitment to retaining the widest level of service provision at the Horton General Hospital.

Labour councillors lambasted and voted against the plans to increase allowances by 1.25 per cent, which were eventually passed.

The Labour contingent also voted against blue badge holders continuing to be charged to park their cars in district council-owned car parks.

Group leader Sean Woodcock said: "It will be highly offensive for councillors to accept a pay rise at a time when there is a national crisis in social care.

"We continue to oppose a regime where those higher up the organisation get larger pay increases than those lower down the pay scale."