CIVIC chiefs have been accused of not doing enough to generate income streams which could have avoided "unnecessary cuts".

At a meeting on Tuesday Borough of Poole adopted its budget for the upcoming financial year - which includes an increase of nearly five percent in council tax.

The 4.99 per cent increase means the annual bill for a Band D property will be £1,320.57 from April, excluding the additional charges for police and fire services. This is an increase of £62.73 a year, or £1.21 a week.

Cllr May Haines, deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for finance, said: “The council has had to make some difficult decisions over the past 12 months to reach a position where we can now set a balanced budget for 2017/18, one that is less reliant on reserves.

"This budget puts us on a more sustainable footing to face the further financial challenges ahead."

However the budget put forward by the ruling Conservative administration was met with criticism from the Liberal Democrats and Poole People's Party - particularly in relation to public toilet closures and increasing parking charges.

A statement read out by Cllr David Brown, leader of the Liberal Democrats group, said: "Budgets are about priorities. There are many areas for savings in this budget which cause us concern.

"Many of these will impact local people, particularly the most vulnerable who are in need of our support."

Cllr Brown added that he recognised the "financial pressures Poole is facing" but said these pressures could have been mitigated had the ruling administration taken advantage of previous opportunities for income generation.

He highlighted the Marshes End site which was sold by the council for development but "still sits unused".

During the meeting the Liberal Democrat Group proposed three amendments to the budget - removing Baiter Park and haven toilets from the public toilet closure programme and amending the parking charge tariff increase.

They also suggested keeping the day service meal subsidy which has been cut in an attempt to save £40,000.

However they were turned down by the ruling Conservative group.

Speaking at the meeting Cllr Mohan Iyengar, cabinet member for economy, culture and leisure, told members that the opposition groups do not have the responsibility for presenting a balanced budget.

"To do this for real actually involves taking a risk and sometimes making the unpopular decisions."

The budget was approved - although the vote was split with most of the Conservtaives voting in favour and Lib Dems and Poole People's Party voting against.