HAMBLETON cabinet has approved a council tax increase of £5 a year.

The rise will take charges for Band D properties throughout the district to £99.48 from April which will come on top of charges for North Yorkshire county council which is set to increase to £1,190 for average sized properties. Extra charges will be made for police and the fire service.

Hambleton council leader Mark Robson said the rise will mean the authority stays one of the lowest charging councils in the country and the lowest in North Yorkshire.

He added:“A £5 rise will mean Hambleton householders will be paying just 50p extra per month over their ten monthly payments. But that 9.6p per week will allow us to maintain services and push forward improvements.”

The full council will debate the rise on February 21.