A BOROUGH councillor blasted police and county council chiefs during a meeting to set the council tax.

Ribble Valley Council Tory leader Peter Redpath accused Lancashire County Council and Lancashire Police Authority of not being as financially careful as the borough council.

"Our increase in total spending of 3.1 per cent is being met by a council tax increase of only 1.4 per cent, or £1.34 on a Band D property," he said.

"But Lancashire County Council's portion has increased over the same four-year period from £557.49 to £730.72, a 31 per cent increase, while the Lancashire Police Authority portion has increased from £45.71 to £57.69, a 26 per cent rise.

"Unfortunately, they have not achieved the same standard of financial management as us and the upshot is that, despite our commendable performance, there will be a 7.6 per cent increase in the council tax for the coming year," he said. "During the past four years, Ribble Valley Council has built up its reserves to prudent levels to deal with the impact of matched funding for lottery bids and provide for indeterminate costs such as the requirements of the Crime and Disorder Act.

"The improvements in services to our taxpayers during this period of inflation-matching spending is a tribute to the effectiveness of our budget working group and officers," he added.

Councillors unanimously approved the Ribble Valley council tax for the coming year.

The average charge, minus parish precepts, will be:

Band A : £591.85.

Band B : £690.49.

Band C : £789.14.

Band D : £887.78.

Band E : £1,085.07.

Band F : £1,282.35.

Band G : £1,479.63.

Band H : £1,775.56.

Parish precepts will range from £6 to £20.

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