Here's why your council tax bill is more than you expected in Milton Keynes

MK Council announced weeks ago, when setting its annual budget, that the tax would rise by 2.5 per cent this year.

But when examining the annual bills going out this week, people have noticed the total increase is actually 3.4 per cent.

This means the average Band D household is having to pay £1,810.05.

One householder said: "When looking at the message on the bill from Cllr Pete Marland, leader of the council, he says that my council tax will be increasing by 2.5 per cent... Yet I am being charged a 3.4 per cent increase.

"I would like to know, has the council tax section made a mathematical error, or has the council leader been disseminating inaccurate misinformation?"

Today Pete Marland has explained to Citizen readers why there is this discrepancy.

"Milton Keynes Council isn’t the only body that makes a charge that is collected through council tax," he said. "A number of organisations have a levy, precept or charge that is collected with council tax, but over which the MK Council has no control.

"These those bodies are tax setting authorities in their own right, such as the Police and Crime Commissioner, your local parish or town council and the fire authority. Some of these bodies have increased their levy or precept by more than 2.5 per cent this year, as they are permitted to do so by law.

"While this is collected with your council tax, you will note from your letter it is a separate levy and Milton Keynes Council is only the collection authority for these additional precepts."

Pete said Labour-run MK Council's rise of 2.5 per cent this year was one of the lowest increases for a principle authority in England

In contrast, the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner has increased Police Tax by seven per cent.

"I would have been more than willing to let people know about the Police Tax increase," said Pete. "However it is not appropriate to make political points in an MK Council communication. If anyone has an issue with the increase by those other bodies they should contact them directly."