HOUSEHOLDERS in Middlesbrough will pay almost a pound a week extra in council tax this year.

Middlesbrough Council's cabinet yesterday agreed at a budget meeting to raise council tax by 8.3 per cent.

Most of the town's households are in Band A and these householders will now pay £635.47 in council tax, compared to last year's £586.68 - an increase of 94p per week.

The rise - the highest on Teesside - represents a 5.7 per cent increase from the council and a huge 38 per cent rise in the precept from the Cleveland Police Authority, which has to find £6.6m.

It will mean a £1.7m boost for education and an extra £1.9m allocated to social services.

Independent councillor Ron Lowes, who sits on the cabinet, said most residents would not be impressed with this year's figures.

"Education and social services are not tangible things as far as people are concerned. Most people don't see any real value.

"As for the police, people might be happy to pay more if they saw a big increase in police presence on the streets. But they are not prepared to just fill in a hole for the authority," he said.

James Martin, chairman of Park End Community Council, agreed, calling the council tax increase "excessive".

But Middlesbrough Council's deputy council leader and resources commissioner Sylvia Connolly said the increase was a reasonable one.

"This year, Middlesbrough had a relatively tough settlement from central Government, but we have kept the increase to a reasonable level and one which is only a fraction over the increase projected by the Government nationally.

"The budget signals our continuing determination to pump extra resources into the services that local people regard as priorities."

Last week, Hartlepool Borough Council agreed to increase its council tax overall by 6.7 per cent.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council said it would not put up council tax for the second year running, but householders will pay more because of an increased police precept.

Stockton Borough Council will set its rate next Wednesday