A COUNCIL Tax rise of 11.9 per cent has finally been agreed by Wyre Forest district councillors - at the second time of asking.

The debate was slightly more sedate when councillors took their seats for the second time in 24 hours last Thursday - after their first attempt at discussing the budget the day before was delayed by fierce rows over leisure centres and allowances.

Introducing the proposals, council leader Liz Davies said: "Last night didn't reflect well on any of us."

The Council Tax rise includes a five per cent district contribution as well as increases of 12.9 from Worcestershire County Council, 18.1 per cent from the police, and parishes.

Mrs Davies stressed the district council is "merely the tax collector for others".

The final budget takes into account the response to a household questionnaire, with recycling, maintaining play areas previously earmarked for closure, replacing trees and car parking all priorities.

Bewdley Museum and its store will be kept open for another year to work on a plan for its future, as will Stourport Community Centre.

However, Liberal Fran Oborski described it as "a budget of lost opportunities" and slammed the questionnaire as "rigged", which was denied by Mrs Davies.

"It didn't tell people what they wanted, it told them what they wanted. It forced people to vote for what they didn't really want."

After the previous night's drama, the Liberal and Labour groups had put forward unsuccessful joint amendment proposals for keeping weekly rubbish collections alongside the introduction of recycling for the year.

Their ideas also included extra litter picking on roadside verges, with Labour leader Jamie Shaw calling for the continuation of last year's Grime's a Crime campaign.

Amendments passed included contingency money pending a study into concessionary travel and cash for repairs to paddling pools at Northwood Lane in Bewdley and St George's Park in Kidderminster as well as the pool at Bewdley's Queen Elizabeth Gardens.