THE annual council tax bill for an average Band D household in Haslemere will increase by more than £60 this April, it has been confirmed, after Surrey County Council confirmed hikes of 3.9 per cent to its shares of the tax bill for 2016/17.

It comes after Waverley Borough Council signed off a 1.95 per cent increase and Haslemere Town Council opted for a 17.9 per cent rise – meaning council tax in Haslemere will rise by an average of 3.7 per cent, taking the nominal band D home’s yearly bill to £1,712.33 in 2016/17.

The 3.7 per cent increase compares to a 1.75 per cent increase in 2015/16 and far exceeds the Consumer Price Index inflation rate of 0.2 per cent last recorded in December, marking a further squeeze on living standards.

Setting out their reasons for the tax hikes, councils and Surrey Police, who agreed a 1,99 per cent increase (see p3), have collectively blamed growing demand on public services and squeezes on their funding from central government as Whitehall continues to cut the national deficit.

Tory leader David Hodge announced on Tuesday the county council had secured an extra £11.9 million grant this year – and £12.2 million in 2017/18 – after an 11th-hour bid to protect public services.

But he added a 3.9 per cent tax rise, later agreed by councillors, was still essential to help compensate for a £50million cut in Whitehall’s grant for 2016/17.

Mr Hodge said: “Ministers have listened to my concern. £300million of transitional funding will be provided to councils over the next two years to deal with the impact of the reduction in government grant.”