COUNCIL tax in the Ribble Valley is set to rise by 4.1per cent this year.

Figures to be presented to the valley's full council tomorrow evening show that the average Band D council tax from April will be £1,193.44 in unparished areas.

That is up from £1,145.92 for the current year.

Ribble Valley Council's share of the council tax rises 2.9per cent, to £115.99 for the average Band D property.

Lancashire County Council will receive £927.11 for the average Band D property, Lancashire Police £100.70 and Lancashire Fire and Rescue £49.64.

The parish adding the most to the council tax to cover its costs is Bowland Higher Forest, which, according to a report to Ribble Valley Council, is adding a £26.79 precept to a Band D property.

For homes outside parish council areas, council tax will be £795.62 for a Band A property, £928.23 for Band B, £1,060.83 for Band C, £1,193.44 for Band D, £1,458.65 for Band E, £1,723.86 for Band F, £1,989.06 for Band G and £2,386.88 for Band H.

Coun Chris Holtom, leader of the council, said: "We believe careful management has ensured that we have been able to keep the rise as low as possible."

He added: "Last year, our council tax increase was the lowest in Lancashire and one of the lowest in the country. For the second year running, despite disappointing Government funding, we hope for that to be the same."

The council is also expected to approve a 3.75pc rise in council rent for tenants living in homes owned by the council.

That works out at £1.51 a week on average. Across East Lancashire, council tax rises are expected to be lower than last year after the Government threatened to 'cap' authorities which hit people with increases of more than six per cent.

But Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans said: "Local people must not be fooled by the generally low council tax increases in Lancashire. It's a con. The government has only achieved it by skewing the system to put more central government money into the council's coffers with a General Election on the horizon."