COUNCIL tax payers in Cornwall will pay 4.99% more this year.

The rise was confirmed at a full meeting of Cornwall Council on Tuesday.

The 4.99% increase will see a general council tax increase of 2.99% for 2018 to 19 – a rise of 63p per week for a Band B property – plus a 2% increase which will be spent solely on adult social care.

The social care element of the rise follows the Government’s policy of asking local taxpayers to help fund social care demands.

For a Band B property, the Cornwall Council element of council tax per week will rise by £1.04.

The council’s Liberal Democrat leader Adam Paynter said: ’The budget has been a challenge but I do believe it is the best that we can do for Cornwall.’

We’ll have more on this in the new print edition of the Cornish Times, on sale on Friday.