COUNCIL tax in East Lancashire has risen by more than half since Labour came to power, new figures have revealed.

Blackburn with Darwen Council, which became a unitary authority in 1998, has been responsible for the lowest increase 51 per cent.

That means the average Band D household in the borough will be paying £1,319.59 this year, compared with £871.30 in 1998.

That was the year that Blackburn with Darwen stopped being just a borough council and absorbed county council services provided within the area to become a unitary council.

And although the 51 per cent increase is above general inflation for the same period, it is lower than the rises faced by people elsewhere in East Lancashire.

In Hyndburn council tax has risen 57per cent, while in Ribble Valley that rise is 54per cent.

Burnley's council tax has gone up 52per cent, while Pendle's has risen 57per cent and Rossendale's 54per cent.

Unlike Blackburn with Darwen, the borough councils in each of those areas have very little power to determine the level of council tax, because most of it goes to County Hall.

Pendle Council, for example, has opted not to increase its share of council tax this but because the police share, the fire authority share and county council share have risen, people living there face an increase of 4.1per cent from last year.

The difference between the rises felt by people living in unitary councils and those living in two-tier council areas is being investigated by the Government.

Local government minister David Miliband has already said that he is reviewing the efficiency of two-tier structures, raising the possibility of fresh plans for local government shake-up.

Blackburn with Darwen Council leader Kate Hollern said: "Being a unitary authority does have its benefits because we have a greater control over things.

"For example, we can link our leisure services into what we do with schools more easily, and our libraries can work well with them too.

"If it was the old county and borough situation, it would be harder."

Not every unitary has had success. Blackpool, which separated from Lancashire at the same time as Blackburn with Darwen, has gone from having the lowest council tax in Lancashire to one of the highest, up 95.8per cent.

And Coun Anne Brown, in charge of finances at Lancashire County Council, which increased its share by 4.9per cent this year, said: "We have been praised by Government for our financial good practice.

"However, we can only work within our means from Government. We will keep lobbying for more money."