ILKLEY MP Kris Hopkins has strongly criticised Bradford Council for its decision to increase Council Tax by 1.6 per cent and refuse Government support to freeze it at its current level.

At a meeting last week, the authority’s ruling Labour group pushed through its plan to raise the tax, despite calls from the Conservative and Liberal Democrat calls for a freeze.

It means the tax for a band D property will now stand at £1,351.60 including police and fire service charges. The Ilkley precept is an additional £24.10, with Addingham’s precept £25, Burley £14.45 and Menston £15.

Mr Hopkins said: “Once again Labour-controlled Bradford Council has chosen to throw away the Government’s offer of real money to freeze Council Tax and will instead plunder the pockets of local residents, with hardworking people in Keighley and Ilkley constituents at the head of the queue.

“Not only that, but the rate of increase is more than five times the current rate of inflation which now stands at 0.3 per cent.

“It is a reckless and short-sighted approach. And given that many fewer people pay Council Tax in the inner-city than in outlying parts of the district, the decision is going to fall more heavily on the shoulders of my constituents.”

Mr Hopkins, a former Leader at Bradford Council, said that while he welcomed the Council’s decision to reinstate limited support funding for Ilkley Literature Festival, he was concerned that this was just “a fig leaf” for other cuts planned in Keighley, Ilkley and neighbouring Shipley.

“Under Conservative control, Bradford Council was even-handed in how money was distributed across the district, ensuring Council Tax payers received something back for the money they paid,” he added.

“However, under Labour, the Council has been shameless in its approach of pouring money into areas dominated by elected members from that party, to the detriment of the people in the rest of the district.

“It would be churlish of me not to welcome the release of a few thousand pounds of support funding for the Ilkley Literature Festival from the Council’s budget of several hundred million pounds.

“But I fear that this is nothing more than a fig leaf to cover cuts to other activities and services in my constituency.”

Labour Council leader David Green said the Council’s funding had been cut by more than £160 million since 2011.