Council tax up again
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The average council tax in England will go up by 3 per cent from April - the lowest rise in years but still higher than inflation.
Band D council tax in England for 2009/10 will be £1,414, the Department for Communities and Local Government has confirmed.
But the Tories said there should be no increases at all after the official rate of inflation hit zero in February.
Shadow local government secretary Caroline Spelman said: 'At a time when millions of workers are facing pay freezes or unemployment this year, it adds insult to injury to drive up bills by a further £41 a year, on top of previous years' rises.
'Labour's refusal to follow the example of Scotland and freeze council tax bills in England is unfair on English taxpayers, who yet again have received a raw deal.'
LGA chairman Margaret Eaton said: 'Town halls are working hard to keep local businesses afloat and to help people deal with the impact of the recession.'
She added: 'Given that town halls have made such efforts to keep council tax down this year, we would not expect the Government to cap any councils.'
However, Local Government Minister John Healey has even been forced to step in and try and cap the council tax of Derbyshire and Surrey police authorities after they set inflation-busting demands.
Mr Healey said Derbyshire Police Authority had increased its council tax by 8.68 per cent and Surrey by 7.07 per cent.
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