The six-year-long council tax freeze may come to an end in March, Richmond Council said, as it faces up to a 66 per cent cut to its central government funding.

Councillor Geoffrey Samuel, the council’s member for finance – and its deputy leader – said six months in advance of the budget he is ‘starting with a presumption’ of having to raise the tax.

Since winning power in 2010, the Richmond Conservative party has frozen council tax, despite local authorities having the power to raise it by up to 1.99 per cent each year without a referendum.

Cllr Samuel said he thought he would have to increase it last year, but for a central government precept for social care and a transitional fund worth £5.8million.

The opposition leader, Councillor Gareth Roberts warned Cllr Samuel against another surprise tax freeze next year, arguing residents would be willing to pay more to protect services.

In the current parliament Richmond Council faces a 66 per cent cut to its central government funding, or over £30million; a ‘phenomenal amount’, Cllr Samuel said.

He said: “When looking at such a deep cut, we must set out our priorities; what gets preferential treatment and what doesn’t.

“You have to say to yourself ‘What are we here for? Who are we trying to protect?’ “You have to be honest with yourself. But it can be done if you set your mind to it.”

The priorities, Cllr Samuel said, are education and children’s services, protecting those with special needs including physical disabilities, adult social services, providing for the borough’s over-75s, the environment, parks and open spaces, and the protection of the ‘character’ of the area.

Cllr Samuel surprised many by freezing council tax once again in 2016, and drew criticism from the Liberal Democrat opposition, who said he was ‘ignoring a £9million black hole’.

Cllr Roberts warned him against freezing it again next year, accusing him of having a ‘mean-spirited and parsimonious worldview’.

He said: “Local residents are generous and good natured enough to accept that following an unprecedented run of council tax freezes.”

He also criticised Cllr Samuel of not citing affordable housing as a priority, as did Richmond’s sole Labour councillor, Jennifer Churchill.

Like Cllr Samuel, she also accused Richmond Council of ‘recklessly’ ignoring recommendations to increase council tax in previous years.

Cllr Samuel praised the Conservative-led council’s efforts to cut expenditure since 2010, which he said was achieved through outsourcing and restructuring.

Since 2010 Richmond Council has devolved control of schools and children’s services to Achieving for Children, and the planned ‘shared staffing arrangement’ with Wandsworth Council is set to save Richmond ‘about £10million’.

He also commended the policy of ring-fencing funds for road repairs from money raised through parking charges, which are set to rise by up to ten per cent throughout the borough from November 1.