A CLAIM that Bury Council’s ruling Conservative group broke a promise over its recent 3.75 per cent council tax bills rise has been denied.

Lib Dem councillor Richard Baum argued the level of the increase went against the 2008-09 Bury Conservatives manifesto to keep council tax rises below inflation. And he wanted to know “why has this promise been broken?”

Last month, Bury Council formally approved a 3.39 per cent rise to cover its own services, but this amounted to 3.75 per cent when police and fire service charges were added.

At last week’s full meeting of Bury Council, executive member for resource, Councillor Iain Gartside, stressed the Conservatives had kept their promise.

He said: “When the council approved the budget for 2010-11 and the council tax rise of 3.39 per cent, the rate of inflation stood at 3.5 per cent using the Consumer Price Index, 3.7 per cent using the Retail Price Index and 4.6 per cent using RPIX.

“Whichever measure is used, it is clear that the council tax rise was below the rate of inflation, as promised. Council are also reminded that all of the rise approved for 2010-11 was caused by pressures forced on to us by Labour. This included the £1 million provision we had to make to cover BSF (Building Schools for the Future) preparation and procurement costs, nearly £1 million for the potential equal pay liability left for us and around £500,000 from inaccurate Government grant assumptions.

“Without this, the Conservatives would have gone beyond their manifesto promise and frozen the council tax.”