By Sarah Nicholls

Published at 11:33, Friday, 08 March 2013

Allerdale council has voted to increase its share of the annual council tax bill by 1.9 per cent, despite a move for it to be frozen.

Tim Heslop

Conservative councillor and former leader Tim Heslop called on colleagues to accept an offer of a Government grant, equivalent to a one per cent rise, and keep its levy at the same rate as the current year.

He told a meeting of the full council: “A 1.9 per cent rise is not a great rise per household but we must take notice of the rise in the cost of food and power.”

Ruling Labour councillors said accepting the grant would lead to bigger financial problems in future as the council would be left with a bigger funding gap.

Councillors approved a budget of £14,095,748.

This means the average Band D household in Allerdale will pay £1,569.31 in council tax next year. Band A households pay two-thirds of that figure.

Most of the council tax bill – £1,161.50 for Band D – goes to Cumbria County Council, while a share also goes to the police commissioner’s office.

Alan Smith, council leader, said the Allerdale rise equated to 5p a week for a Band D household.

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk