A BOROUGH is set to increase its council tax by £3.52 for most of its households on Thursday.

Pendle Council will increase its part of the annual charge of local authority services for 2020/21by the maximum 1.99 per cent permitted without a local referendum.

Subject to approval at Thursday's Budget Meeting, it's portion of the council tax on the Band A homes which make up the bulk of its housing stock will rise from £176.89 a year to an annual £180.41, seven pence a week.

On a Band D property the charge will rise by £5.28 a year from £265.34 to £270.62 .

Pendle Council's council tax is only a small part of the total bill with other 'precepts' added by Lancashire County Council, the police and the fire service. Smaller charges are levied by the borough's 17 parish and town councils.

The county council has agreed a 3.99 per cent increase to its precept adding £35.82 to the annual bill of a Band A terraced home.

Cllr Mohammed Iqbal, leader of Pendle Council, said: "We had no choice but to levy the maximum 1.99 per cent increase."

He added: "The Tories have slashed out Whitehall grant cash."