Residents ‘face highest council tax bills in the Yorkshire region’

The Local Government Association says many councils feel they have “little choice” but to raise tax this year, to try and protect their local services from ongoing funding pressures.

Band D households in Scarborough, the most common tax band, will pay £1,896 in council tax in 2019-20, according to Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government figures.

That’s up 5.3% on last year’s levy, adding an extra £95 to the bill , which is the biggest rise in a decade.

Scarborough residents faced the highest rise last year, when council tax rose by 4.6%.

Scarborough residents have a higher bill than the rest of Yorkshire on average, where Band D households pay £1,784.

Councillor Richard Watts, chairman of the LGA’s resources board, warned that council tax increases across the country will not prevent cuts to services.

He said: “With councils facing a funding gap of more than £3 billion this year, council tax rises will not prevent the need for continued cutbacks to local services.

“If the Government fails to adequately fund local government as part of the spending review there is a real risk to the future financial viability of some services and councils.”

Shadow communities and local government secretary Andrew Gwynne said: “The Government has no answers to the dire situation facing our councils. Tory austerity has devastated communities but instead of providing sustainable funding, this Government has shifted the pain onto council taxpayers.”

Local government minister Rishi Sunak said council tax in England was 6% lower in real terms than when the Conservatives came into power in 2010.

He added: “Residents’ satisfaction with council services remains high, despite the need to pay off Labour’s record deficit.

“Up and down the country, it’s Conservative councillors and councils who have a proven record of managing taxpayers’ money wisely and providing better local services.”