In papers produced for a meeting of the council's most powerful committee, Policy and Resources, which took place on February 15, it is forecast that the local authority will raise Council Tax by 2.99%.

This is the most it can be raised by without a referendum.

Many other councils, including Liverpool Council, are set to raise Council Tax by the same amount as local authorities try to shore up their finances following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

One section in the reports for the February 15 meeting read: "[Wirral] Council has forecast to maximise the Council Tax increase at 2.99% each year for the rest of the medium term, along with growth in the number of premises; this is 1.99% Council Tax and 1% Adult Social Care precept."

It is important to say that the authority's plans for Council Tax will not be finalised until its budget has been agreed by a full council meeting on February 28.

Despite the planned tax rise, Wirral Council is considering closing Woodchurch Leisure Centre, nine libraries and two public golf courses, among other things, to help it save the £20 million it needs to escape its budget black hole.

However, the February 15 meeting did provide groups interested in taking over the running of these services some time to put together a bid to keep them running under a community asset transfer.

The exact figure for how much a Council Tax rise will cost residents has not yet been finalised, and the final amount is likely to be different to a straight 2.99% rise as this does not account for any changes in the amount Council Tax payers need to pay in precepts to the police, fire service and Metro Mayor.

It is also important to note that earlier this month, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that people in Council Tax bands A to D will receive rebates funded by government grants. Those in lower bands will get more, an average of £150 per household.

In Wirral, 89% of households, 134,120 in total, are in bands A to D.

This will be welcome news for many, yet it will only go some of the way to easing what some have called a 'cost of living crisis'.

Council Tax is just one bill that residents have to face, with a major increase in living costs triggered by rising energy prices, with millions set to pay £693 per year more from April.

To deal with this, the Chancellor has said households will get £350 to support them with their energy bills, yet some will be left feeling that this year will be a very difficult one for them and their finances.