COUNCIL tax in Teesdale is to rise by 2.8 per cent.

Teesdale District Council agreed the rise earlier this week, effective from April 1.

But, with county council, fire and police precepts, the rise in the overall bill is closer to five per cent.

Residents living in a band D property, valued between £91,001 and £123,000, face an annual increase of £56.21.

The overall figure includes a rise of 4.6 per cent from Durham County Council, and rises of 4.9 and five per cent from fire and police.

The figure does not include parish councils.

Teesdale District Councillor David Armstrong said: "We have an increase of 10p a week for our budget. The fact that we have kept our overall budget down to 10p isn't much comfort to anyone who has to pay the overall bill."

Meanwhile, the cost of renting a council house in Teesdale is to go up by five per cent from April 3.

The new rents will be unaffected when Teesdale District Council transfers its stock to housing association control.