'Council tax payers should keep their hard-earned money in their pockets' says Milton Keynes councillor

They say the proposed increase will see Band D rates rocket to £1807. And this marks a £400 increase from the Band D average that MK residents experienced under the Conservative-led council in 2014/15.

Labour-led MK Council is seek to increase council tax by 3.5 per cent this year.

"This rise will mark the sixth time in six years that the Labour-led and Liberal Democrat supported council will support measures to increase the tax-load on MK’s residents," said Conservative group leader Alex Walker.

He added: "Questions are being raised over the rationale behind a sixth consecutive council tax rise. Research into Labour’s draft budget show how MK Council are sitting on £211 million worth of reserves and are being provided with an increase of £9.4 million worth of funding from the central Conservative government."

Councillor Walker claims all six of Labour’s council tax rises in the past six years have also outstripped inflation. The largest rise was in 2018 when Labour, supported by the Liberal Democrats, increased MK’s council tax by 6%.

Cllr Walker said: “This is a slap in the face of MK residents who have been forced to cough up yet again because of Labour’s wasteful spending. Tax payers this year are literally paying to have moss put on the walls of the Council building and grass installed on top of bus shelters. "

He added: “If the Council can’t spend taxpayers money on items that actually matter to the residents we serve, we should keep their hard earned money in their pockets.”