Council tax payers in Swindon are likely to be asked to pay, on average, £52 more for council services next year.

Papers put to the borough council’s Conservative cabinet next week say finance officers working on next year’s budget have assumed a 2.99 per cent increase in the tax the authority levies, withy another one per cent increase to be specially ring fenced for adult social care.

The tax levied by Band D payers last year just by the council is £1313.73 and that increase will see it rise to £1365.

That’s before increases in the police and fire service precepts, which add up to £255 this year and parish council precepts which range from nothing in Inglesham to £190 in Stratton St Margaret.

But even with that increase, councillors will be told there’s still a £5m funding gap in the council’s budget.

Initial figures suggest the council’s expenditure through 2019-20 will be £148.3m while its income will be £243.1m.

The report to be presented to cabinet by Coun Russell Holland, the member for finance and deputy leader of the council says: “The local government finance settlement for 2019-20 has yet to be published and therefore the funding assumptions contain levels of uncertainty.

“There is currently a gap between assumed funding levels and the current cost of services, and work is continuing to identity further options to close this gap for consideration by members once actual funding levels are confirmed.”

Leader of the council Councillor David Renard said: "This is not an unusual position to be in at this time of year. A few month as ago when we were looking at next year's budget we were told the gap might be £10m.

"We haven't yet had the government's financial settlement, which might or might not be helpful.

"It's worth saying that we have significant transformation projects in demand led services like adults social care and children's services which are making us more efficient.

"I'm very confident that by February we will have closed that gap."

The report says the budget has identified £21m of savings though its departments - but faces £29m cost ‘pressures’ or increases.

£65,000 will be saved by just deleting vacant staff posts and not filling them and £60,000 saved by ending the council’s direct contribution to Swindon BID.

There is a significant increase in the budget for children’s services, which is heading for a £7m overspend on the 2018-19 budget.

More social workers in long term teams relating to child protection, children in need and looked after children will cost £1.6m more and more social workers at the 'front door' -the safeguarding hub, and assessment and child protection team - will cost £730,000 more.

The increasing demands for adult social care will see an increase in spending in some areas of £4.3m, offset by savings elsewhere in the adults services budget.

Labour group leader at Euclid Street Councillor Jim Grant said: "Theresa May said austerity was over, but that clearly hasn't reached the Conservative members of the borough council. They're still asking people to pay more for less services, despite its promise to be more commercial to bring in more money.

"This approach is not good in the long term for either Swindon residents or the borough council's finances."