Average bills per home will be �967 compared with �908 in 2003/4.

This makes the rise smaller than last year's 12.9% but it is still above inflation and follows widespread protests about large increases.

Are the rises justified? Tell us what you think.

The following comments reflect the balance of the opinions we have received:

This debate is now closed. Read your comments below.

It's all very well to say that this year's Council Tax rise is lower than last years eye-watering leap; politicians seem to be telling us that everything is therefore alright; but we are still paying last year's 20% increase and 6% on top of that. What brand of fool do they take the electorate for?
Chris, Walton on Thames, Surrey

Council tax is unfair, why can't we just have increased tax/N.I. coming out of our pay packet? Council tax per month is nearly as much as my mortgage and since I am on a low-wage it is hard to pay. My parent's council tax is a small percentage of their incoming wage, whereas mine is a large percentage. Why can't they make it based on earnings rather than what house you live in?
Rebecca Evans, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire

Everyone uses the services, why shouldn't everyone contribute Patty N, Northampton

Replace the Council Tax with a Local Income tax, based on the ability to pay. Everyone uses the services, why shouldn't everyone contribute a little something. The aged are suffering the most who are on fixed pensions. The yearly rise they are given is quite unacceptable. Pensioners are proud people who do not want to be means tested and made to feel they are second class citizens. They have contributed to the system all the working lives and deserve recognition. We should be looking after our own elderly people. The whole system needs reviewing.
Patty N, Northampton

We have just received our council tax bill-a rise of 13.7%. How do we find �1700pa as pensioners on a fixed income?
M.D.Walker, Market Harborough,Leics

My salary increases for the last three years were 0%, 0%, 2.5% - the corresponding council tax increases were 15%, 17%, 7% - I'm supposed to be grateful for the chance to pay ever more so the council can plant a few more flowers and dig up my High Street again? For all my local council does it might as well not be there. I'll take my own rubbish to the landfill, pay the going rate and save myself the �100/month or more difference.
Jonny, England

5.9%! What's inflation running at? Way lower than this. How can this be justified other than by the inefficiencies of government and local government? Disgraceful.
Jeff Jenkins, Eastleigh, Hampshire

I live alone, have no children to send to school, don't get on a bus, hardly even fill the bin and pay all the bills myself. Where does the extra money come from, it's hard enough as it is. I get the bin emptied once a week, I'd rather take it to the local dump myself !
D Carter, Manchester

Councils do more than just empty bins you know Dave, UK

Councils do more than just empty bins you know! I cannot believe the number of people who whinge on about "oh, the council only collects the rubbish"! Over 60% of all the county's money goes on schools. That's right, the education of the future of Britain. Some future. And most of the rest goes on social services, that's right, caring for the elderly. It's about time you lot realised that you are paying for the benefit of society as a whole, not just to have your bins emptied.
Dave, UK

Look at the salaries some of the public sector are getting 50 - 100K is not uncommon if you look in the papers. South Cambs Council has moved to a new complex costing tax payers millions!
Ted, Cambs

Council Tax is another form of taxation without any means testing. It is an inhumane anti social tax. Where is all the extra cash going? The private sector pay increases are nowhere near this figure - are we financing the inflation-busting pay rises happening all over the public sector?
David Beet, Barnehurst, Kent, UK

Overall 9.1% increase again this year. Although this year the unitary council has kept its increase low, this is blown out of the water, by huge increases in the charges levied by the Police authority, which last year more than doubled and again this year we have another huge rise. The fire authority also levies a large charge. Both these increases clearly indicate under funding from central government.
Darren, Maidenhead, UK

It is not just the elderly who are suffering to pay this Anna Rabone, Chichester, UK

As a recent graduate, attempting to get some postgraduate qualifications part-time, the council tax is crippling me. For a tiny two room flat I pay excessive amounts. I can barely afford to live as it is, the rise will mean I have to eat less than the toast I eat at the moment. It is not just the elderly who are suffering to pay this, the low income early twenties, starting their careers are also being hit very hard. I find it disgraceful that the expense of living in this country is rising to levels where many groups of people cannot enjoy life and are alienated from the richer groups.
Anna Rabone, Chichester, UK

I live in a village just outside Hitchin. We have no school, no shop no pub, no village policeman, so what do I pay for?? Bin to be empted once a week and street lights - all that for over �1000 per year. It's totally laughable.
Terry Leggett, Hitchin

We are being duped, someone please tell me what are we paying for. In my area you can't get through to the police, you have to pay to park anywhere, the streets are full of rubbish and this is being marketed as a reasonable increase. It's time for protests on the scale of those opposing the poll tax.
John, Sheffield

The problem I have is that the bandings are based on the values in 1992 (or something like that). We all know how much property prices have changed since then, and I think it would be a good idea to update the figures. This would allow those of us who live in areas which were fashionable then (but are not now) to pay a value based on the relative current value.
Alice, London

All else we seem to get for our money is more CCTV cameras John Muir, Addlestone, Surrey

This is a back door tax sanctioned by a government determined to hit the middle class of England. In Runnymede what do we get for our hike, the second highest in England? New plastic boxes for recycling which saves the borough time and money on refuse collecting. Apart from that all else we seem to get for our money is more CCTV cameras to persecute the youths rather than channelling funding into providing youth entertainment or education and providing an over worked police division with less juvenile problems to deal with.
John Muir, Addlestone, Surrey

John Muir: Just hope that your little recycling box is picked up. Our box lives outside near the road and has never been touched! And then I suppose I should be grateful that council tax has only gone up by 6%.
Rachel, Oxfordshire, UK

My council tax just went up 7.5%, or about three times the rate of inflation. For that, if I'm lucky, I get the same service as I got last year. My bin will be emptied most weeks but litter is otherwise left despite the bill for "street cleaning". Abandoned cars will be removed, eventually. The library will continue to be open while I am at work and closed while I am at home. Traffic management schemes will continue to multiply like wildfire achieving nothing aside from annoying local residents and driving the lunatic boy racers onto even quieter residential streets. And the mayor will continue to be chauffeured around in his nice BMW 7-series. I can't understand why I should be any real increase unless I see a corresponding increase in services. Paying three times the rate of inflation while services are cut due to a lack of funding is nothing short of disgraceful.
John B, UK

Unless you're unlucky or bad at planning there are virtually no property taxes, the largest form of individual wealth, in this country. Perhaps home owners would prefer to pay some form of wealth tax instead - somehow I doubt it. There is council tax benefit for those on low incomes, and a single person living in a property gets a discount. Why is council tax increasing? Partly it is because of the increased cost of social welfare, especially for the elderly. If a particular council increases its tax too much then local electors can get rid of them. Whatever system you have creates winners and losers.
Steve Palmer, Watford, UK

The way councils are funded is wrong in my opinion. I would replace the council tax with a local income tax which is based upon one's ability to pay. Under the current system pensioners suffer enormously.
Chris Barrett, Southport, England

Where does all the money go? My son's school is closed "until further notice" for basic repairs. I see three men with two lorries shoddily rebuilding a council house garden wall. My local library is also closed until at least 2005 due to dilapidation of the building. And council tax up by 7.0%, again. The Labour council (Hounslow) blames the Labour government. It's pathetic. Get out.
Stefan, London, UK

This is getting ridiculous. For the last few years we have had above average rises in council tax. My local authority blames central government for cutting funding. The government on the other hand blames the councils and threatens to "cap" council tax increases where appropriate, whilst not actually doing anything to alleviate the problem. Enough is enough. Far too much public money is wasted and we have very little say in making those who spend our taxes accountable.
Paul, Colchester

Is it now the right time for the government to have a fundamental review of how local and regional government is organised? Mark Lay, Danbury, Essex

In my council tax I pay for Essex CC, Chelmsford BC and Danbury Parish Council. The borough council tries hard and now even empties the bins every week again (due to a change of leadership). The parish council looks after the village and provides some excellent sports facilities. I fail to see what value Essex CC really adds, and they represent the largest part of my council tax. In the electronic era surely it must be possible for the government to fund borough councils directly? In the private sector we are continually under pressure to reduce costs and taking out layers that add no value is an established practice. Is it now the right time for the government to have a fundamental review of how local and regional government is organised?
Mark Lay, Danbury, Essex

This is getting ridiculous. My council tax has risen by 10.1%. My benefit certainly hasn't risen at the same rate. I was recently retired as a firefighter on medical grounds at 33. I cannot believe after 8 years of commitment to the public in the emergency services that I get treated like this.
Adrian J. Fletcher, Nottingham

Absolutely appalling. I've not had a pay increase in 3 years and yet councils feel free to pass on their inability to control their costs.
Alan Reid, Stanley, UK

As observed by others on your page, we are paying out more and more in tax and it seems to be a deliberate policy of this government that everyone should be forced out to work and not to be available to support their children. Is it any wonder that we have problems with anti-social behaviour?
Peter Jones, Quorn, Leics

How does the government think we should pay for all these rises? If we do more overtime, Gordon Brown gets a bigger slice, leaving us with nothing more. Either way they've got you!
Bhups, Milton Keynes

There are very few local authorities that concentrate on providing good services Doug, Doncaster

Local services have to be paid for and, for the most part, people don't mind paying if they believe they receive value for money. However, there are very few local authorities that concentrate on providing good services. Most are obsessed by strategy and give too little attention to the operational aspects of service delivery. There are far too many local authority members and officers and those members that we do have for the sake of democracy should not be paid as was the case prior to 1974. The voting system should be changed from 'first past the post' to some form of proportional representation. Not only will this make councillors more accountable but may encourage people to vote who currently believe their vote to be wasted under the present system.
Doug, Doncaster

Here in Oxford, we are paying for the seemingly endless repaving of the busiest shopping street. The work has been going on for at least 3 years, makes visiting town unpleasant, and has just topped �5m. For one road... House prices are already high. The high council tax is one of the reasons that I am leaving Oxford in the near future
Karin Cheetham, Oxford, UK

Yet again, this is an above the rate of inflation rise for, at best, no improved service. How could I possibly think this reasonable? I'm also supposed to be pleased because the increase is not double figures? I think not!
Mike K, Tendring, Essex

This is unreal - double inflation tax rises, and what do we get? SMALLER bins being emptied LESS often, more 'residents parking' money making schemes, less street sweeping etc. What a rip-off. Blair, you're cheating us!
Tom, Slough

Our band D tax has gone up by over �200 this year to �1350. We have five children and my husband is the only earner in the household. He is on a salary of �36000 a year. We have a �100000 mortgage. We also only qualify for �400 a year Tax Credit, which means we pay over �800 a year more tax than we did before they scrapped the married couple's allowance. On top of this there are the extra national insurance contributions and all the other hidden little taxes and duties. It's an absolute disgrace what is happening. We are being moved closer and closer to the point where we will begin to struggle each year, and if Labour are returned to power at the next election, I expect taxes to go up and up, leaving us in a very precarious position.
Sharon, Dunstable