THERE will be no floral displays across the Cherwell district – just one of the council measures to save £2.7m from its budget.

On Monday, Cherwell district councillors agreed its budget for the next financial year, which froze council tax for the second year running.

Council tax for band D properties will remain at £123.50. Oxfordshire County Council and Thames Valley Police Authority have also set their precept – £1,161.71 and £154.30 respectively.

The local authority said only ten per cent of its cuts would affect front-line services, the rest would be made from efficiency savings and an increase in fees.

Cherwell said its Government grant had dropped by £1.4m and this was expected to drop by another £1m next year.

In a bid to balance its books, residents will also see an increase in the cost of some council services from April.

Car parking across the district is set to rise from March 1 by 10p an hour, and blue badge holders and evening parking will be charged for the first time, bringing in £422,201.

Elsewhere, the council will start charging to remove wasp nests, increase its court fees for debt recovery and charge for all bulky waste, which was previously free to pensioners, generating £144,000.

Cherwell also plans to rake in a further £30,000 by charging a transaction fee when people use credit cards to pay for its services. As the Banbury Cake went to press, Cherwell had not confirmed what the charge per transaction would be.

Councillors also agreed a host of cuts, including slashing grants to elderly peoples groups by half (saving £28,441) and cutting arts funding to Oxfordshire Youth Arts Project, St Mary’s Church, Banbury, and the Courtyard Youth Arts Centre, Bicester, by £69,906.

Its landscape budget has been slashed by £100,000 and Cherwell confirmed it would not fund floral displays across the district. These would have to be sponsored by businesses or organisations.

Cherwell has also reduced the number of street cleaners to save £54,019, and increased its recycling to save £45,000.

The council will also save more than £1m by merging its management team with South Northamptonshire District Council.

James Macnamara, executive member for resources and communication, said the council had reduced its costs by a third over the past five years.

He said: “In the short term, we have to secure yet more substantial savings with the least possible impact on services – and our joint venture with South Northants will be a critical part of that.

“I am confident enough in our budget to stand by our decisions and challenge any opposition to say where they would swing their axe instead.”

Labour leader Les Sibley gave credit to council officers for keeping the council tax at a zero increase.

He said: “I supported the budget but I think they could have done better over the parking issue.”