Households face £58 tax rise

Residents living in the average home in Shrewsbury will have to find almost £60 a year extra to pay for their borough council services from April, if plans are approved tonight.Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council is meeting to set its council tax for the next financial year which, if approved, is set to rise by three per cent for the general fund section of the bill.

This means bills for that portion will rise from £127.43 to £131.25 for the average Band D property while the town's portion of the council tax will be increased by 4.61 per cent from £31.26 to £32.70 for a similar property.

It means residents living in Band D properties in the town will see their bills in total rise from £1,367.46 to £1,426.38 - an increase of £58.92.

On Friday, Shropshire County Council approved a council tax hike of 4.4 per cent for its section of the bill, while West Mercia Constabulary has previously approved an increase of 4.94 per cent. Shropshire and Wrekin Fire and Rescue Authority has also already backed plans for its share of the bill to rise by 3.9 per cent.

Parishes on the outskirts of Shrewsbury are setting their council tax sections of the bill - which replace the town proportion of the bill - separately, meaning their bills will differ from those of residents in the town.

Residents living in Band D properties in parishes on the outskirts of Shrewsbury will see their bills rise to between £1,403.51 at Alberbury with Cardeston and £1,463.54 in Withington.

Peter Nutting, leader of Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council, said: "Shrewsbury and Atcham can be proud of its record on council tax over the last few years."