Cheshire East needs to assess whether it can afford its council tax support scheme in its current form and also consider whether foster carers should be exempt from paying, a councillor has said.

Speaking at yesterday's (Monday) meeting of the finance sub-committee, Conservative group leader Stewart Gardiner said there were a number of things the council could potentially look at to help its finances.

"One is the council tax support scheme," he said.

"I would very much like to know exactly how much that is costing us because I anticipate that, with inflation and more people being caught in potential difficulty in meeting their council tax demands, we might find that we've got to review that, exactly who it is we're helping and how much the cost has been in recent years.

"Is it something we can continue to afford?"

He then asked about foster carers.

Foster carers and care leavers are exempt from paying council tax in Cheshire East, although this is not a national policy.

Cheshire East introduced the exemption a decade ago.

Cllr Gardiner said: "With regards to foster carers, I know they deliver an excellent service that we all require, but they are paid to provide that service."

He said the council tax exemption was an incentive to encourage people to foster, but added: "Is it something we can afford?"

Officers said they would bring a report on the matters raised to a future meeting of the committee.