VITAL services that looked set to be axed could now be saved after civic chiefs backed the county’s finance plans – including a near 6% rise in council tax.

Hampshire County Council’s (HCC) cabinet has backed plans to increase the bill for taxpayers by 5.99 per cent, or £67.86 a year for band D homes, three per cent of which will be ringfenced for the county’s adult social care budget.

The increase follows a 4.99 per cent rise in council tax last year.

Services including household waste recycling centres (HWRC), school crossing patrols and community transport schemes were facing the axe as part of plans to save £140million by April 2019.

Council leader Roy Perry had put forward proposals to stop the cuts, including a charge for older people’s bus passes and a £1 charge for visiting HWRC, but he told cabinet members the money would instead be found through the council tax rise as the government was “not particularly minded to accept” the new charges.

Cllr Perry told the meeting on Monday last week: “We have succeeded in retaining those local services that we know residents value. That is a remarkable achievement in the current climate and is down to the careful and long-term approach this council takes to its financial planning “Since agreeing specific savings proposals at the end of last year to meet the further £140 million shortfall we face in our budget by April 2019, we have been working hard to explore alternative ways to deliver the savings in some areas.

“Consequently, I am very pleased that our proposals set out a way forward for us to continue to provide school crossing patrols, community transport, and HWRCs.

“We are continuing to press government to accept the longer term solutions we have in mind for these areas, which could involve introducing some nominal charges for use of services like HWRCs. I put that point to the new parliamentary under secretary for local government, Mr Rishi Sunak.”

Cllr Perry added despite the rise, the county’s precept was still likely to be one of the lowest in the country.

Up to £7.6 million of funding to plug a forecast overspend in the county’s children’s services department was also approved at the meeting.

The recommendations come as the number of Children Looked After (CLA) grows and areas such as agency staff spend and Home to School Transport face further pressure.

The plans will now go before full council on February 22.