COUNCILLORS call for a council tax cap during the next budget setting process.

The newly established group of independent politicians has submitted their first Notice of Motion that will be heard at the next meeting in June.

The Flintshire Independents called on Flintshire County Council to give a clear mandate to the cabinet and senior management team that the council tax be capped at 4.5 per cent.

They say they have done so after representations made by many residents across the county, that the 8.75 per cent increase, which has been set for 2019/20, is causing 'hardship and poverty'.

Cllr Helen Brown said: "Council tax rises is not a sustainable way of funding a budget gap. We are increasingly seeing working people pushed beyond limits. Paying more and getting less. There are families struggling now, it is not fair at all there is a whole raft of rising costs within personal budgets for people and to further burden our residents won’t be tolerated."

The new group was formed shortly after Cllr Bernie Attridge, former deputy leader and cabinet member for housing, quit the Labour party after almost thirty years.

Cllr Carol Ellis, deputy leader of the group, added: "Due to the amount of people who have made contact with Councillors regarding the current council tax hike, it is obvious that people cannot afford to take the brunt of Council shortfall.

"David Hanson MP has recently said in the press that he is shocked by the amount of children living in poverty. We believe many families are living hand to mouth yet there seems to be a reluctance to except the facts and act on them."

The Leader has previously reported that Cllr Attridge, leader of the newly established group, said he had become disillusioned with national politics and blasted Labour’s treatment of former Alyn and Deeside AM Carl Sargeant, who died days after he was sacked from the Welsh Government cabinet in 2017.

He said the main aim of the new group was to put residents first and put a stop to the significant increases in council tax experienced by householders in the county.