Councillors have criticised a last minute bid not to put up the town council's council tax precept, put forward by Conservative councillors who had previously backed plans to put it up.

In December Kenilworth Town Council's finance and general services committee recommended that next year's precept for a band D property be increased by £2.07 to £22.78 - a 10 per cent increase.

The Liberal Democrat's alternative plan to increase the precept by around £1 was voted down by the Greens and Tories.

However, ahead of last week's full council meeting - where the precept would be approved - Cllr John Cooke put forward an amended proposal to freeze the amount residents were charged.

This was seconded by fellow Conservative member Cllr Rik Spencer.

But speaking at last week's meeting, Cllr Rob Barry questioned the handling of the issue.

"It was at the last finance and general services committee we were talking about £1 or £2 increases and he [Cllr Michael Coker] said 'let's be grown up about this'," he said.

"There are a couple of disappointing things in this episode for me. 

"One of them is linking the cost of living crisis to this increase and using the percentages of 10 per cent or five per cent to make some sort of political capital out of it. 

"I feel quoting the percentages out in the public realm is misleading."

Cllr Richard Dickson also expressed his concerns that the proposal to freeze the precept had come at the last minute.

He said: "One of the other things we have achieved as a council over the past four years is to stick to processes and avoid the chaos of last minute proposals coming to us for consideration. 

"We have also worked over the past four years, unlike previous councils, collaboratively, together, in partnership." 

While Cllr Andrew Milton also questioned the complete change of opinion by the two Tory members.

"At that time [December's meeting] we talked about the cost of living crisis," he said. 

"That's a very real thing, it is happening, and may I remind Cllr Cooke that the cost of living crisis was going on three weeks ago when we had the finance meeting, when the Conservative group here voted for a £2 or a 10 per increase.

"It is not a new thing and I am glad he has realised that it is impacting people."

To Raise or Not to Raise

While Cllr Cooke apologised for the lateness of his amendment, he said "exceptional times call for exceptional solutions". 

"I am not apologising for the principal," he said. 

"I think on this particular occasion, the people of Kenilworth and people all over the country have got very special circumstances to deal with."

He added: "We have inflation in this country running at an amount we haven't seen for many, many years. 

"We have a cost of living increase that is running ahead of anything we have seen for many years."

Cllr Cooke's bid to freeze the council's precept and make the shortfall up from its reserves was voted down by 10 votes to five.

The council instead voted by 10 votes to five to raise the precept to £22.78.

Cllr James Kennedy said: "I think the proposed amendment would completely undermine the reputation this council has for financial probity and good stewardship of public funds. 

"As Cllr Coker has pointed out on many occasions, that is one of our most important duties."

Cllr Coker - whose "let's be grown up" comments were mentioned a few times during the discussion - did not vote in favour of the proposal.