The leader of Wiltshire Council has warned council tax cannot be capped indefinitely, at a time when savings of £30 million must be made.

Councillor Jane Scott was speaking at a meeting in Chippenham last night, where residents were invited to discuss Wiltshire Council’s approach to spending before it sets its budget at the end of next month.

Coun Scott said in order to make the necessary savings, street lights will be going out between midnight and 5.30am, there will be a charge for green waste collection and the opening hours of household recycling centres will be cut.

Residents should also expect a “small increase” in fees and charges.

Charities are likely to be hit too, as the council looks at reducing by 10 per cent the amount it currently gives to the voluntary services sector in subsidies.

And parish and town councils were told they would have to pay for their own by-elections from 1 April 2015.

Wiltshire residents have not had a council tax rise for four years and there is no increase proposed this year, despite the tax collecting just £250 million compared with £900 million in outgoings.

Dick Tonge, the council’s cabinet minister for finance, told residents of Wiltshire they were lucky, because a band D payment in Shropshire costs £1,488 a year compared with £1,222 in Wiltshire.

Coun Scott defended the cap on council tax throughout the recession.

Ramsbury parish councillor Sheila Glass asked if it was a good idea to keep the council tax the same, in light of the savings that had to be made.

Coun Scott said: “Through this recession, I think it has been the right thing to do.

“Our economy works on small and medium-sized enterprises. Council tax was one way of us helping them through these difficult times. It is absolutely not to do with politics.”

But she added: “There will come a time where we are getting to the point we cannot continue with that, so I think we will increase council tax in the future.”

She promised to prioritise spending on vulnerable adults and children.

“If we do nothing else, we need to protect the vulnerable in our communities,” she said.

“We need to look after older people and our vulnerable children. That is the most important thing, protecting those vulnerable people who cannot look after themselves.”

But she warned even though there will not be cuts there, spending will only be the same as last year so they will still feel the pinch as needs increase.

Coun Tonge said Wiltshire’s older population is 15 per cent higher than the national average.

The council will also be making large investments in roads resurfacing, community campuses, and the provision of infrastructure and jobs, including dualling of the A350 at Chippenham and Porton Science Park near Salisbury.