A £5 Council Tax increase but a freeze on parking charges are some of Waverley's budget proposals for 2021/22.

The changes have been proposed in light of the Covid pandemic's "devastating consequences" which have placed "an extreme strain on council finances," according to one councillor.

Councillor Mark Merryweather, Waverley's Portfolio Holder for Finance, Assets and Commercial Services, said: "This has been a period like no other, both for the council and for our residents, and it's not over yet. The pandemic has had devastating consequences for many in our community and placed extreme strain on council finances, which were already under pressure from Government funding cuts.

"We have proposed raising Council Tax by £5 which, at 2.7%, is equivalent to 10p a week for an average Band D property. I know that many residents are struggling financially, and of course we would prefer not to have to do this if at all possible, but we have not received enough of the support we need and were promised by central government and so we have no alternative in order to maintain our community facilities and protect service levels for our residents."

While the council's proposals include a further £1.3m of potential efficiency savings, the draft budget still shows a projected deficit of almost £1.2m, due to the extra costs and loss of revenue resulting from the COVID pandemic. This will need to be met by a cash injection from the council's reserves.

Other changes planned include increased fees for many of the council's chargeable services, including planning services and building control.

The budget proposes that funding for the voluntary sector will be maintained in view of the vital work it is doing during the pandemic.

Cllr Merryweather added: "We have produced a budget that we believe is fair, with no increase in parking tariffs, which maintains our grants to voluntary sector partners, and which focuses on protecting vital services and the most vulnerable in our communities."

The budget isn't finalised yet: it will be considered, and possibly amended, by Waverley's Value for Money and Customer Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on Monday, 25th January.