Council tax set to rise by 3.9 per cent

The move, which must still be approved by full council when it meets on Thursday, will raise an extra £1.8m.

It is the first increase for the town’s residents from the authority in five years, and comes as town hall chiefs are forced to find savings of £25m in the 2016/17 budget.

An increase of 3.9 per cent is the maximum councils are allowed to impose and includes two per cent specifically for social care services.

Currently the bill for an average band D property in Blackpool is £1,529.92, including precepts to pay for police and fire services.

A 3.9 per cent increase on the council’s element of the bill would be £52 per household. Most properties in Blackpool are in Bands A and B so the rise would be lower.