COUNCILLORS said they had 'a gun to their head' as they agreed to propose a tax increase for residents.

Taxpayers in the Chiltern District Council area are facing a 1.9 per cent increase in the amount they pay the authority in council tax each year.

Yesterday the council's cabinet reluctantly agreed in principle to the raise as they look to make even greater savings beyond the end of the next financial year.

Cllr Mike Stannard said: "We are looking at savings over the next three or four years in the order of £1.8million. If we don't act now and start preparing for the future, that figure will be in excess of £2.5million.

"It doesn't make very pleasant reading. I think we have to look at the situation this year with a great degree of focus on the future because the future is bleak.

"The financial cliff that we are getting ever closer to seems to be getting higher and higher with every passing year."

Cllr Isobel Darby said: "We are in an impossible situation. We've got a gun to our head, almost. We have to protect the future of Chiltern - we have to have the increase now.

"If you make loads of savings you can always potentially reduce council tax in the future, but we are in a situation where we need to increase it.

"It's a daft situation but we would be irresponsible if we didn't protect this council for the future."

The tax increase was agreed in principle but needs to be rubber stamped at the next meeting of the full council on Wednesday February 27.