householders could see a rise of 1.8 per cent on their council tax bills this year.

Bradford Council Conservatives have put forward the figure as part of budget proposals for the financial year beginning in April.

These also include cutbacks in staffing levels, the merging of services and tougher efficiency targets. Spending on high-profile projects across the district could include a new health centre in Keighley.

The Conservatives, the party with most seats on the council, unveiled its proposals at the council’s executive on Tuesday.

The figure follows last year’s 2.2 per cent increase, the lowest of any council in Yorkshire and Humber.

The proposed 1.8 per cent increase is lower than the official inflation rate — based on the consumer prices index — of 3 per cent. But it is 18 times higher than the inflation rate that affects the average household, based on the retail price index and now standing at 0.1 per cent Council leader Councillor Kris Hopkins said it was vital the local authority did everything it could to help residents across the district cope with the worsening economic situation. He said: “Councils are limited in their ability to stimulate the economy in their locality but we can keep council tax rises down to a minimum.

“We achieved this in Bradford district in the current year and, with the support of other parties in council, hopefully, we can do it again in the next financial year.”

Cllr Hopkins told the executive of Conservative plans for a series of cost saving measures across all council departments.

He said: “As well as offering very high quality facilities for residents, these projects are also likely to lead to the creation of significant numbers of jobs for local people.”

He said substantial funding would be released to support education across the district, including through the Building Schools for the Future programme.

There would be new bursary schemes for high-achieving able-bodied and disabled athletes and to reward academic excellence.

Service personnel would get free access to leisure facilities, the £1 booking fee would be scrapped on tickets for amateur drama productions and people would get better access to professional financial and legal advice. Cllr Hopkins said the Conservative group’s budget proposals provided a sensible, cost-effective but exciting way forward for the district.