He said that members needed to be aware that when the council tax bills were sent out it would stand out against the 0 per cent rise expected from Derbyshire County Council, High Peak Borough and neighbouring Chapel Parish and New Mills Town Councils.

"I don't think that rise is going to be very popular with the people in Whaley Bridge," said Cllr Taylor.

The meeting, which debated the issue for nearly an hour, heard that the £5,000 reduction would see no increase in the council tax precept.

However Cllr Jon Goldfinch suggested a larger rise in the precept was needed which would help guard against further cuts in the future.

He said there were problems that really needed to be addressed if the council were to do things in the town.

"To be fair we don't have a lot of money to spend on doing things anyway," he said adding that a 5.39 per cent increase was just 13p a month more for a Band D property.

Cllr David Lomax said he couldn't support an increase. "We don't know if the parish grant is going to be lost or what the government are going to do. We can't put it up just in case."

Cllr Linda Leather said the council needed to consider the current economic climate.