York council taxpayers to see near-5% rise as budget approved

City of York Council has approved its budget for the next financial year

Council tax bills in York will go up by nearly 5% from April, the city council has confirmed.

The increase, including 2% for social care, was signed off at Thursday's full meeting of City of York Council.

It came as the Labour-run council's budget for the next financial year, including a package of cuts worth £14m, was approved.

Those savings include £4m from the adult and children's social care budgets.

The budget also includes a number of increases in charges - including a new, optional, £43 fee for green bins to be emptied.

Paula Widdowson, a leading member of the council's Liberal Democrat opposition, told the meeting the green bin charge would be regressive and would hit York's poorest residents.

She said tens of thousands of households would not pay it - meaning more cars would be on York's roads as people took their garden waste to recycling sites.

Katie Lomas, the senior Labour councillor in charge of finance, said the people of York would be glad to see some financial stability.

"We have a plan to avoid pushing the council into bankruptcy," Ms Lomas said.