THE average council tax payer will probably have to find an extra £50 to help fund services such as education, transport, social care and libraries.

Somerset County Council has announced proposals to raise its share of the bill by 1.99 per cent, along with a 2 per cent ring-fence for adult social care for the year from April.

Full council is likely to approve the 95p a week increase on Band D properties at its meeting next Wednesday (February 19). The levy will bring in an extra £9.8 million.

The cabinet of leading councillors at County Hall agreed plans to spend £775 million on services over the 12-month period, while pledging there will be no further frontline job cuts.

A further £319 million - including £133m in the next financial year - will be spent on capital projects such as school builds and expansions, highways engineering and traffic management and economic development between 2020 and 2023.

Rising costs for adult social care will be met by "efficiencies and service transformation".

Cabinet member for resources Cllr Mandy Chilcott said: "Thanks to hard work, dedication, and financial discipline we will be putting forward a balanced budget for next year, without the need to make savings, which is a fantastic achievement, given our position less than 18 months ago.

"Our plans go beyond protecting frontline services, they build on our financial sustainability by maintaining our reserves, investing in our communities and continuing to transform services for the people of Somerset to ensure they more efficient and cost effective, working towards a thriving and ambitious future and preparing for the growing challenge of climate change."

She added that a raft of "transformation projects" will "improve lives and save millions of pounds in the longer term".

With uncertainty beyond next year and a "modest" budget shortfall of £9.4m over the next two years, financial planning remains an issue.

Cllr Chilcott said: "We will continue to lobby the Government to ensure it meets its commitment on delivering the spending review and ending financial uncertainty."

The budget proposals would see the authority's reserves likely to stand at £19.69m by the end of the current financial year.

Somerset West and Taunton Council is expected to increase its section of the council tax bills by £5 next year, while Avon and Somerset Police will levy an additional £10 on top of last year's bills.