Fix 6: Council tax up £500 since Tories took control

7.45.26am GMT Tue 24th Feb 2009

In the week of the launch of the Liberal Democrat manifesto for the County Council elections, the group has published the cost to residents in council tax rises.

In 1999 the County Council became Tory-run, after the Liberal Democrat joint administration ended, and since that date Council tax has increased 86%, or in real money £500. When compared to all other counties this makes the rises voted through by the Tories over the past 10 years the second highest in the country. This will increase again today as the Tories vote through another budget.

Liberal Democrat County group leader Chris White said: 'This is why we have proposed to freeze the county council tax next year in our manifesto, as part of Fix 6 of our 'Six to Fix'. The increases in real terms shock residents when we tell them. We cannot let this trend continue.'