COUNCIL tax payments in South Ribble will rise by £65 from April, according to figures released this week.

At a meeting of South Ribble Borough Council on Tuesday, councillors passed this year's budget, which will mean the owner of an average property - one in band D and not subject to extra charges from parish councils - will have to pay £887.36, a rise of just over seven per cent.

South Ribble council tax payers' rise can be broken down into: £730.65 to go to County Hall (formerly £673.36); £57.69 to go to the Police Authority (£53.42 last year); £99.02 to go to South Ribble Borough Council.

The increase asked for by the borough council is just £3.94 - a rise of four per cent.

Council leader Gina Lewis is delighted by the budget.

She said: "The good housekeeping and financial management introduced and maintained by this Labour administration over the past four years has resulted in the borough's council tax rising by less than four per cent, keeping it below the permitted guideline levels.

"This is a remarkable achievement because, unlike other boroughs who are reducing services or standing still but charge the same as us, we are continuing to expand our range of services."

But Conservative leader Coun Jim Breakell disagreed.

He said: "It should be remembered that the Conservative administration of four years ago left this council virtually debt free.

"When we lost control of the borough four years ago we, as a borough, asked for £69.36. In four years that has shot up to £99.02 - an increase of 35 per cent, meaning that, when the county's rates are added on, many people face the prospect of paying nearly £1,000.

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