Council tax is set to increase by an average of £5 – for the second year running.

Hertsmere Borough Council’s revenue budget for the next financial year was considered at an Executive meeting on January 16.

To fund the budget, an increase in the council’s share of council tax bills is being proposed – an average increase of £5 per household - the same rise as last year.

Someone living in a Band D property would pay an average of around £177 in council tax to the borough council for its services. This equates to 49p per day.

This cash will help pay for council services such as waste, recycling, planning, street cleaning, housing, parks, as well as contributions towards police community support officers and the citizen advice bureau.

Just 23 per cent of the council’s funding comes from central government. The figure was 54 per cent in 2010/11.

The council says it is facing “increasing cost pressures” due to inflation and the rising demand for services, including homelessness prevention and the rising costs of recyclables.

Hertsmere says it will raise additional income next year through fees, charges, and rents from its assets, bringing in a total of around £629,000. It is also looking to make savings of £372,000 by providing its services more “efficiently”.

Not all of the council tax you pay goes towards the borough council. Hertfordshire County Council receives 78 per cent, the borough council receives 10 per cent, the police and crime commissioner gets 10 per cent, and town and parish councils receive two per cent.

Leader of Hertsmere Borough Council Morris Bright said: “We are recommending a small council tax increase in the budget, which will be essential to enable us to continue to deliver key frontline services for Hertsmere’s residents.

“At a time when money from central government has been in sharp decline, we are looking to provide both a continuing and growing range of services. We have worked on similar assumptions to last year and suggested a £5 increase.”

The budget is open for consultation and you can find out more and leave your views by February 15 at www.hertsmere.gov.uk/budgetconsultation

The budget will be discussed and a decision will be made at a full council meeting in Borehamwood on February 27.