Hertfordshire County Council has drawn up plans to increase its share of council tax bills by the maximum amount allowed, as part of its 2022/23 budget proposals.

An increase of 3.99 per cent could be approved by councillors at a meeting in February.

It would include a 1.99 per cent general increase and a further two per cent increase that would be ring-fenced for adult social care.

For an average Band D property, the county council element of the council tax would increase by £58.68 – to £1,529.31.

Band A properties would pay £1,019.54, an annual increase of £39.12 – and top-rate Band H properties would pay £3,058.62.

This is on top of a potential rise in tax bills residents pay to its relevant borough, district, town, or parish council, as well as Hertfordshire's Police and Crime Commissioner.

According to the proposals, the county council, which has general reserves in excess of £52 million - and a further £180 million in earmarked reserves - intends to set a balanced budget.

Council leader Cllr Richard Roberts defended the plans to increase council tax levels by the maximum that is allowed, without a referendum.

He says that he recognises the "real pressures" on residents' budgets – pointing to cost of living, food and energy hikes - adding he understands it will hit some people "hard".

But the Conservative politician added he has a "responsibility to those who are most vulnerable", and said without the planned increase,  the council would not "be able to meet the pressures of services".

Pointing to the two per cent increase ring-fenced for social care, he said: "There is real hardship and real concern – I recognise that.

"But I have an absolute responsibility to ensure that our most vulnerable residents – those with learning difficulties and physical disabilities, those frail elderly and those in care or nursing homes  – have care workers to look after and support for them"

He added: "We are delivering an awful lot more care and that’s one of the reasons we need to put council tax up as much as we do...We wouldn’t take a pound off residents unless we absolutely needed to."

A public consultation will take place as part of the council's budget setting for the upcoming financial year, which includes the proposed tax rise.