A DECISION to hike council tax by 9.5% on Anglesey could be decided by the people after calls were made for a referendum on the matter.

In an unprecedented move, members of Anglesey Council’s main opposition group have tabled a motion calling for a debate on whether rate payers should pay the agreed 9.5% hike or their failed proposal for a 5% rise instead.

Extraordinary meetings are automatically activated when six or more councillors sign a motion calling for one, with all seven members of the Annibynnwyr Mon group understood to have done so following Wednesday’s budget meeting.

No date has yet been set for the meeting but according to one opposition member, its is” right” that the people are given a chance to have their say.

Its unknown if there would be enough time to hold a poll before council tax demands start falling through letterboxes, but a referendum would only take place if a majority of councillors at the meeting voted in favour –  which would mean persuading members of the ruling coalition to break ranks.

“They (councillors) are there to look after the people who put them there,” Cllr Shaun Redmond told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

“9.5% is not balanced, even the finance officers initially proposed a 6% rise.

“Once you get in the bubble of the council chamber and the ear of the council officers some tend to forget why they’re there.

“Councillors should not be there to do the bidding of governments in Cardiff or Westminster.”

The opposition group’s 5% increase proposal, that was knocked back on Wednesday, suggested deleting one of the Assistant Chief Executive roles, cutting the number of executive roles from nine to seven, delaying the proposed Travellers site at Star and increasing the empty home premium to 35% rather than 100%.

But while the authority’s finance officer confirmed their proposals would be acceptable, he raised concern over taking out £1m from earmarked reserves  and another £565,000 out of the authority’s general balances.

This followed a recent letter from the Wales Audit Officer, warning that the authority’s reserves were too low and would be considered as “a risk” to the authority unless replenished over the coming years.

Anglesey Council has been approached to respond but following Wednesday’s budget meeting, the council leader acknowledged that the 9.5% council tax rise – equivalent to £108.36 a year or £2.08 a week – would “not be popular.”

“Given the intense financial pressures faced, we have found it increasingly difficult to protect school budgets over the past two years,” said Cllr Llinos Medi.

“A reduction in teaching staff has seen class numbers increase and this in turn could impact standards and have dire consequences on the future education of our children.

“We understand that any increase in Council Tax won’t be popular, but it’s vital that services like education and social services are protected as much as possible for the future of our children and young people.”