More pain on the way as council tax set to soar by over £100 a year

TAXPAYERS in 95 per cent of local authorities will be forced to pay far more next year after the vast majority of council leaders opted to raise council tax by the maximum amount permitted.

Data compiled by the county councils network (ccn) has revealed that 129 out of 136 county and unitary local authorities in england will increase council tax by 4.99 per cent.

This is the maximum permitted by the Government without having a local referendum and means the average Band D household will face an rise of £103 over the next year.

Just three in four councils intended to levy the maximum this time last year, ccn said.

Last night council leaders warned that taxpayers would have to bear more financial pain during the cost of living crisis.

Sam corcoran, leader of cheshire east council and vice-chairman of the ccn, said: ‘county authorities face a £1.1billion budget shortfall over the next two years. With council tax now accounting for two-thirds of the average county authority’s funding, we have little choice but to take the difficult but necessary decision to raise council tax by 4.99 per cent to continue to protect services and ward off the threat of financial insolvency in the future.’

Last night local authorities were told to continue to make efficiency savings to avoid passing the buck to taxpayers.

Elliot Keck, of the taxpayers’ Alliance said: ‘Financial mismanagement by local councils has been mercilessly exposed in recent months, and town hall bosses are scrambling to plug the gap.’

A spokesman for the Department for levelling Up, communities and Housing said: ‘We recognise councils are facing challenges, that is why we announced an extra £600million support package for councils across england.’