TAXPAYERS will be asked whether they would back a council tax referendum as Herefordshire Council looks for further ways to make savings.

The authority has made almost £50 million of savings in the past five years but needs to cut a further £42 million by 2020 and is today (Thursday) unveiling a budget consultation giving the public the chance to have their say on where the axe should fall.

One of the questions is whether residents would be in favour of a referendum asking taxpayers whether they would back a council tax rise of more than two per cent which, in turn, would generate additional funds.

A similar referendum question last year came back with a negative response.

"We are spending a lot of our resources on about two per cent of our population," said council leader, Cllr Tony Johnson.

"People will say they get rubbish collections, potholes mended, etc. But we collect about £82 million in council tax and spend about £75 million on care.

"So we will ask whether people would be prepared to pay a bit more council tax.

"The response last time was far too weak to justify going to a referendum but we will see what the response is this time.

"It is worth asking the public these questions to gauge how they feel about things."

Cllr Johnson said part of the two-month consultation would also include asking taxpayers across the county what they think the authority's priorities should be.

The public will be asked to rank in order from a choice which includes supporting the growth of the economy and the number of people in work, enabling more residents to live a "safe, healthy and happy life", and to keep children and young people safe and "give them a great start in life".

Today's consultation launch comes on the same day as the council's cabinet meets at Hereford Shirehall.

Members will be told that the first two months of the new financial year has the council on course for a £600,000 overspend.

The projected overspend is due to additional placements and continued reliability on agency staff to fill social work posts that were planned to be reduced in children's safeguarding.