COUNCIL tax could be set to rise for Richmondshire residents after the council's corporate board agreed to an increase of £5 for 2017 to 2018.

The corporate board has this week agreed to increase its council tax by £5 (band D properties) to £206.40 for the coming year for the district's 23,257 households.

The final central government financial settlement, expected shortly, is likely to be in line with the four-year settlement agreed last year.

Councillor Yvonne Peacock, leader of Richmondshire District Council, said: “We are pleased that the Government has stuck to its promise of providing certainty through the four year settlement.

"The council has managed to make savings though efficiencies in this time of continued reducing government grants which has helped to keep the use of reserves to a minimum.”

Corporate board members also approved a reduced budget, from £6,274,970 in 2016 to 2017, to £6,046,600 for 2017 to 2018 – agreeing to use £138,000 from the council taxpayers reserve to balance the budget. The full council will set council tax level and budget on February 21.