Councillors have approved Ashfield District Council's budget for the coming year and an increase in council tax for all homes in the district.

It means band D households across Ashfield will pay the authority £5 more from April, the maximum amount the council could increase its bills by without holding a referendum.

The majority of properties will pay either £3.33 and £3.89 extra, accounting for band A and band B homes, taking the total band D takings for the authority up to £195.46.

This is the highest council tax collection of all district and borough councils in Nottinghamshire, despite several other authorities opting to take the same £5 band D increase this year.

Speaking in the meeting on Thursday (March 3), Councillor David Martin (Ash Ind), portfolio holder for finance, presented the budget and said it was "necessary" due to years of cuts from the Government.

He said: "The medium-term financial strategy, the new homes bonus, the service grants and the lower-tier service grants [from Government] are all a one-year deal.

"They are having the largest impact on our plans going forward because we can't say with any assurance what we're going to get from the Government – so we're taking action to try and work in advance of that.

"It's like having a crystal ball but we're doing the best we can, and our officers are very prudent in what they do. This is how we're fighting this lack of clarity from the Government."

The budget was approved with 27 votes in favour, two against and four abstentions.

The decision came following a two-and-a-half-hour meeting in which tempers flared between the ruling Ashfield Independents and opposition Labour and Conservative councillors over proposals within the budget.

Both groups raised questions about the authority's plan to increase council tax in the midst of the cost of living crisis.

And they criticised the Ashfield Independents for proposing a tax increase one week after calling for Tory-led Nottinghamshire County Council to cut its own planned rise by one per cent.

Cllr Lauren Mitchell (Lab), who represents Hucknall South, said: "I'm particularly sad this administration has found it necessary to increase council tax by the maximum amount possible.

"I'm even sadder they're doing it at a brutal time for Ashfield residents facing a cost of living crisis from every angle.

"It's also very interesting that many Ashfield Independents will vote to increase council tax tonight when only last week, at County Hall, the tax rises were an 'evil'.

"Obviously the amounts are different, but saying one thing on Thursday and doing another the next Thursday is not a good look in terms of principles."

She also described the budget as a "short-term and cynical approach" by the ruling group and criticised the authority for planning to spend £183,000 on continuing to develop its controversial draft housing plan.

Cllr Chris Baron (Con), who represents Hucknall West, also raised similar concerns and said: "[Council leader Cllr Jason Zadrozny] wants to put the increase on Ashfield, but at County Hall, he doesn't. Very interesting that, I think it's pot calling kettle.

"When you have things like the highest members' allowance in Nottinghamshire, it seems there is something drastically wrong.

"These 'brutal Tory cuts' are the Tories giving £150 [for council tax] to every household in band D and below.

"You would have thought Ashfield District Council would be putting a zero per cent increase forward, as they did in the election years."

But responding to their concerns, Cllr Zadrozny (Ash Ind), the authority's leader, defended the budget and criticised the opposition for not putting forward an alternative.

He said: "It's incongruous to say there are a number of concerns [with the budget] and then fail to present an alternative, and I think it's really sad.

"Any question about this budget and its robustness is tantamount to impertinence, to question the professionalism of a budget signed off by an officer of the highest calibre.

"What we're proposing is, on average, a £3.50 annual increase on council tax, it's 1p per day. At the county council, it's far higher and it's intolerable given the cost of living crisis you have mentioned."

The decision follows Nottinghamshire County Council's approval of a four per cent increase on council tax last week, hitting band D homes with a £63.24 rise and band A properties with a £42.16 increase.

Caroline Henry (Con), the county's police and crime commissioner, has also risen her bills by £9.99 for band D and £6.66 for band A.

And the fire authority has increased its bills by 1.95 per cent, with band A homes paying £1.08 more and band D homes £1.62 more from April.

Other district and borough councils are in the process of finalising their budgets this week, with Mansfield District Council the only authority to propose a tax freeze.