A 5.8 PER CENT increase in council tax bills has been rubber-stamped by Pendle councillors.

It means owners of Band A homes worth up to £40,000 - two-thirds of all houses in the borough - will pay £500.99 from April. Homes in the next band, valued between £40,000 and £52,000 will pay £584.49.

People living in some towns and villages will also have to pay an extra local precept on top of the bill. Foulridge is the most expensive place to live, with Band A homes paying a total of £507.76 and Band B £592.39. The council has been faced with a standstill budget this year because of cuts in Government grants.

Leader of the Labour group, Councillor Susan Nike, said: "It's a scandal that people in a small terraced house will have to pay £500 for the services they receive."

She told the Liberal administration: "What we have here is a budget that congratulates you on putting up the council tax and providing less services."

But deputy council leader Councillor Tony Greaves said the Liberal's good housekeeping meant savings which allowed services to generally remain the same and, in some cases, improve slightly.

Other Council Tax bills are:

Band C £667.99

Band D £751.49

Band E £918.49

Band F £1,085.49

Band G £1,252.48

Band H £1,502.98

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.