DORSET County Council has come under fire for refurbishing its offices – which include plans for a roof garden – at a time when council tax is being hiked by almost five per cent.

One councillor said the plans for the roof garden – which the county council stresses are “very much a potential, rather than a definite” – are “spitting in the face of taxpayers”.

The county council has been forced to approve sweeping cuts – including a recent move to slash subsidies for rural bus services – as it strives to balance this year’s budget.

A cabinet meeting in December heard the authority was facing a budget gap of almost £10million due to spiralling costs of children and adult services. The same meeting also heard that the transformative Way We Work programme was not making the savings expected.

Part of the programme is a £1.5m refurbishment of County Hall in Dorchester, which Cllr Ros Kayes claimed included a roof garden.

When asked to clarify the situation, a spokesman for the county council confirmed that when plans were initially drawn up, a small roof garden was considered, in place of one that was originally in the same place. Funding has not been allocated.

The spokesman added: “At the moment this is very much a potential, rather than a definite.”

The Way We Work programme was designed to reduce the county council’s property estate from 26 buildings to eight, while improving conditions for staff in retained buildings, such as County Hall. It’s hoped this will save £1m per year in running costs.

The county council spokesman said that, while the programme was not yet achieving these savings, as heard in the council meeting, “these savings will be realised in the near future”.

But some councillors have blasted the cabinet for cutting services while refurbishing County Hall.

Cllr Ros Kayes said: “Rumours abound that part of this refurbishment? will be spent on a roof garden at County Hall.

“While services are being cut, this is spitting in the face of council tax payers in Dorset.”

Cllr Janet Dover added: “We need this cabinet in Dorset to link together with Conservative councils across the country and demand more funding for local government. Central government is saving money in Whitehall by penalising delivery of local services?. The people of Dorset deserve better than this.

“How can they possibly justify slashing buses by a further £1m and spending £2m on refurbishment of the offices?”

In a document setting out the county council’s asset management plan published in 2015, Cllr Robert Gould, leader of DCC, said the Way We Work programme was designed to “enable [DCC] to meet tough financial targets whilst ensuring that our citizens still receive the services that they need the most”.

The statement adds: “It will lead to a complete redesign of our services along with the accommodation we occupy.

“We will become more flexible and innovative, working together with partners and local communities to deliver relevant services in the most efficient and effective way, by sharing working pace and utilising that space to its utmost.”