COUNCIL tax in the latest county to introduce monthly bin collections is set to go up by 6.35%.

Members of Denbighshire Council will vote on the increase when they meet in Ruthin on Tuesday.

In December it was announced the council would not be getting any more money from the Welsh Government from which it gets the bulk of its funding.

Earlier this year Denbighshire followed Conwy’s example and became the second council in Wales to bring in four weekly bin collections for black bins, saving the county £800,000.

Now councillors have been told they will have to increase council tax by 6.35% and make cuts of £5.6million to balance its £190million budget.

This will see band d property owners paying £72.24 extra a year or £1.52 a week.

Councillors have put the blame for the cuts and tax increase on the shoulders of the Welsh Government for its poor settlement.

Cllr Joe Welch, leader of the independent group, said: “Once again, due to a very poor cash flat settlement we have had to look at savings running into the millions of pounds. We are disappointed that the council tax we are setting this year is significantly higher than we would have liked but it is necessary to protect our front line services. Also, we are still investing in our corporate plan and we are also using £2 million from reserves to lessen the impact on council tax rises. We would implore the Welsh government to fund our council adequately so that we can carry out our core services effectively. ”

Cllr Martyn Holland, leader of the Conservative group, said: “Denbighshire along with the majority of local authorities in Wales have faced difficult challenges in trying to produce a legal and balanced budget while at the same time trying not to cut services.

“The council has estimated that it needs an extra £5 million to fund such things as annual pay rises for staff, inflationary fuel costs and increased spending in adult and child care.

“As an authority we have an increasing elderly population and we have therefore put extra money in our budgets to support the most vulnerable in our society.

“In the last six years we have cut £34 million from our annual budgets with very little impact on services and at the same time we have managed to keep council tax rises within reasonable levels.”

And Plaid Cymru group leader, Cllr Arwel Roberts, said: “There is a general rise across Wales, it’s time for the powers that are in control in London and Cardiff to think that residents within Denbighshire are suffering already because of the austerity policies prevalent in Wales.”

The Welsh Government has been asked to comment.