Council Tax-payers in the Forest of Dean district are facing an average rise of 5.4 per cent this year.

Gloucestershire County Council has set a precept of £888.76 for an average Band D property, having agreed a budget increase of 6.4 per cent to £517.4m.

Forest of Dean District Council has raised its Band D demand by five per cent, to £144.28.

The district covers areas like Newent, Dymock, Redmarley, Bromsberrow and Corse.

The district council says cuts of £534,000 will be needed to balance the budget and maintain services, and of this £200,000 will come from staffing budgets.

Gloucestershire County has also announced cuts, but remains committed to spending a further £1m on road maintenance, as planned.

Council leader Peter Clarke said: "Whilst we are concerned about the hardship that paying the Council Tax causes, we must invest in schools, services for older people, roads and public transport."

Gloucestershire Police will be charging a Band D precept of £156.71. Added to the Council Tax bill will be levies from individual parish and town councils.