COUNCIL tax payers in the East Riding face a five per cent increase in their bills in the year ahead.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council has released its budget papers for 2017/18, and they showed a proposed increase of three per cent for social care, plus a general increase of 1.99 per cent.

The 4.99 per cent rise is the highest the council could impose without running a local referendum, and it is higher than the increases proposed by both North Yorkshire and City of York councils.

East Riding’s council leader Stephen Parnaby said the higher bills - which work out at around £42 a year for Band A homes - would help to keep providing “the best possible services”.

He added: “Residents had their say on the council’s budget during our annual consultation at the end of last year and we have taken those opinions on board.

“The proposed increase will go part of the way to addressing the huge pressures the council faces to meet increasing adult social care demand but, with an ageing population, there is still a large shortfall in the financial support.

"Despite this, we will keep doing our absolute best to protect the most vulnerable members of our society, which is one of the council’s top priorities.”

A report produced for a council meeting on Thursday shows even with the council tax increase and £38.2 million of cuts, the East Riding still faces a £10 million shortfall over the next four years, and without the council tax increase, that shortfall would be as high as £34.5 million.

Meanwhile, the social care precept councils are allowed to impose over the next three years will cover less than half of the £15.9 million needed in that department.