28-03-2008
Confirmed rise for council tax fees
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Council tax bills in England are to increase, it has been announced.
In total, it has been confirmed that council tax charges across England are to increase by four per cent, with the Department for Communities and Local Government announcing that the average annual bill will increase to £1,146, from a previous average of £1,101.
The current system of council tax was introduced as a replacement to a tax known as the Community Charge, more frequently known as the poll tax.
"Councils have been under a real financial squeeze during the annual struggle to keep bills down," said Sir Simon Milton, chairman of the Local Government Association. "The stark reality is that low council tax rises have come at a cost and many councils have had to make tough decisions on spending."
However, in contrast, the move was criticised by Eric Pickles, the local government representative for the Conservative party, who noted that under the present Labour government, the cost of living has risen significantly.