Labour hikes council tax between 5 and 10% in another cash grab

Millions of people will be forced to pay higher council tax as the government is raising rates between 5 and 10% in six areas.

Windsor and Maidenhead Council will raise council tax by a whopping 9%, they were pushing for a 25% increase.

Somerset, Birmingham and Trafford councils will raise the tax by 7.5% whilst Newham and Bradford Council will raise council tax by 10%.

Health and social care minister Karin Smyth has defended the government’s decision to raise the tax to above normal increases and she said that more councils are wanting to raise council tax but they were told no.

Smyth said that the councils are “particularly desperate” and the extra money is needed to ensure “basic services are running,” she told Sky News.

She then blamed the Tories accusing them of leaving local governments in a “really dark state.”

Shadow communities secretary Kevin Hollinrake said, “Their Local Government Finance Settlement will mean that councils will have to raise council tax to accommodate Labour’s jobs tax.

“This means that local people will pay more for less when it comes to local services, especially in rural areas which are losing the Rural Services Delivery Grant that Labour have abolished.

“The Labour Party have made false promises to local people, promising to freeze council tax while many councils will now have to raise it due to Labour’s political choice to raise council tax.”