FLINTSHIRE Council has managed to balance the books for another year, but members have been warned of the challenges to come.

The authority's budget for 2018/19 was set at a full meeting of the council yesterday at County Hall, as officers and members sought to plug a deficit of more than £5 million.

This was achieved by members voting to raise council tax by 6.7 per cent.

Although money was found from reserves to avoid setting a 'cash flat' budget for schools, chief executive Colin Everett said the authority was a "low reserve council" and that they could not dip into reserves every year.

It would also be illegal for the council to set a deficit budget and Mr Everett pointed out the problems being experienced by Northamptonshire Council, which had effectively declared itself bankrupt.

Leader of the council, Cllr Aaron Shotton said the Westminster Government's austerity programme was a "failed exercise" that Flintshire would keep lobbying against.

He praised officers and members for their work in avoiding setting a 'cash flat' budget for schools.

Cllr Shotton said: "If that shortfall was met by council tax alone the deficit would have required a more than eight per cent rise in council tax.

"A cash flat budget for schools was not something we were wilfully trying to achieve.

"Many of us accept we have no option but to rely on a diminishing reserve fund which is not sustainable but I welcome the debate around school teachers, and the interest the public is taking in the debate."

Cllr Shotton said it would take "bravery" from all members across the chamber to approve the proposed budget, which also includes an increase in spending on social care.

Mr Everett explained that the 'cash flat' proposal was made to balance the budget, and once that balance had been achieved they were able to work again on the schools funding.

Northop Hall Councillor Tony Sharps was one of many members to back the budget, stating it was right to look after children and the elderly with the funding for schools and social care.

Caergwrle Cllr David Healey praised the efforts of officers, council staff and fellow members for managing to make ends meet.

He said: "Eight months ago it was inconceivable we could balance the budget so this is miraculous.

"We have cut and cut and cut. We can't cut any more."

Buckley Bistre East Cllr Richard Jones asked for £780,000 more to be freed up for schools from a pot of contingency funding, but having looked into the proposal, finance officer Gary Ferguson said it was "too high risk" for the authority.

Members unanimously approved the budget for 2018/19 including the 6.7 per cent council tax rise, an increase of around £74 on a Band D property.