Taxpayers will be paying more in council tax later this year.

The average band D council tax bill in Three Rivers will rise by £4.85 to £158.90 in April.

Politicians tonight increased bills by 3.15 per cent, but some areas in the district could see it increase by 3.9 per cent.

Three Rivers District Council blamed cuts in central government funding for the first increase in district council tax for nine years.

Cllr Ralph Sangster, leader of the Conservative Group in Three Rivers, said: “This council is not unique in losing its government grants. Every other council in the county and the country is in the same position.

“The elimination of the grant has been predicted by the central government and referred to by the council’s chief finance officer over the last three or four years, which is plenty of time to adjust spending.

“Crying foul and rolling around on the floor like a Premier League footballer will not help our position and blaming others for the administration’s inability to balance the books will not impress people who have watched the revenues dwindle away.”

Increasing council tax is expected to make the council an extra £250,000 in 2016/17.

This means the total amount netted by the council will be £5,937,657. By 2018/19, this will rise to £6,237,118.

Cllr Matthew Bedford, lead member for resources, said: “Members will no doubt be aware that the revenue support grant from the government has been reduced from £1.5 million to virtually nothing by the end of the medium term financial plan.

“So that leaves us with two choices. Find new sources of income to replace the loss in government income or make real cuts to the services people rely on.

“That increase is less than the four per cent that was put through by Hertfordshire County Council earlier today [Tuesday] and we should remember, the average band D property council tax bill will be £158.90 - lower than the figure ten years ago.”

But Cllr Bedford told tonight’s meeting that the authority has bought some more temporary accommodation for homeless families.

The council will continue to invest in “opportunities” that will drive down future costs.