TODAY we reveal the full cost of council tax to people living in south Worcestershire.

People in Worcester will have to pay an average £58.23 more this coming financial year, based on Band D properties, while Malvern people will pay an average £57.60 extra and £54.34 in Wychavon.

There will also be a slight increase for residents living in Warndon and St Peter's in Worcester, who will have to pay extra on parish precepts for the coming financial year.

These are the final results after Worcestershire County Council, Worcester City Council, the police and fire authorities all set their rates for 2008/2009 and will take effect from April.

Simon Geraghty, leader of the city council, acknowledged that council tax is "a real pressure" on families, but he denied keeping rates down previously had led to this year's sharp increase of about 4.4 per cent in Worcester.

"This is the first year in five years we have had to put council tax up above 2.5 per cent," he said.

"We have been successful in holding it down for four successive years and obviously we haven't been able to continue that simply because of the budget situation coupled with the low government settlement which, in real terms, will mean we are actually £700,000 worse off over the next three years."

Serena Croad, the leader of Malvern Hills District Council said it had been under pressure to put council tax bills up in a bid to stabalise its financial position, but said it had not been an easy settlement to make.

Bills have gone up by 4.5 per cent.

"In general I think everybody is being forced to look at making efficiency savings and look at the services they deliver, and to be fair to everyone they are getting less money directly from the Government," she said.

In Wychavon residents will pay an extra 2.5 per cent on top of last year's council tax bills - the eighth year running the district council has put it up by that figure.

Councillor Bob Banks, executive board member for resources, said the council has an ambitious plan to improve all services in the next five years but it will have to use £671,070 from its revenue balances to deliver them.

Coun Banks said: "Despite our increasing council tax by just 2.5 per cent - well below the real rate of inflation because of the council's excellent use of resources, as recognised recently by the Audit Commission - we are confident that we can achieve our goals."

That strategy includes extending a neighbourhood warden programme, tackling flytipping and graffiti, introducing the new wheelie bin service and enhancing the street cleaning service.

Sports coaches for the district and measures to minimise the risk of flooding around Wychavon are also included.

HOW MUCH YOU'LL PAY

  • WARNDON
    Band A - £922.95
    Band B - £1,076.78
    Band C - £1,230.61
    Band D - £1,384.43
    Band E - £1,692.08
    Band F - £1,999.74
    Band G - £2,307.38
    Band H - £2,768.85
  • ST PETER'S
    Band A - £923.10
    Band B - £1,076.96
    Band C - £1,230.81
    Band D - £1,384.66
    Band E - £1,692.36
    Band F - £2,000.07
    Band G - £2,307.76
    Band H - £2,769.31
  • WORCESTER
    Band A - £912.79
    Band B - £1,064.93
    Band C - £1,217.06
    Band D - £1,369.19
    Band E - £1,673.45
    Band F - £1,977.72
    Band G - £2,281.98
    Band H - £2,738.37
  • MALVERN
    Band A - £946.47
    Band B - £1,104.23
    Band C - £1,261.97
    Band D - £1,419.72
    Band E - £1,735.21
    Band F - £2,050.71
    Band G - £2,366.19
    Band H - £2,839.43
  • WYCHAVON
    Band A - £881.47
    Band B - £1,028.40
    Band C - £1,175.31
    Band D - £1,322.22
    Band E - £1,616.04
    Band F - £1,909.88
    Band G - £2,203.69
    Band H - £2,644.43