Liberal Democrat-run Milton Keynes Council has Lowest Council Tax Around

6.47.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 18th Apr 2008

Recently published government figures show that residents of Liberal Democrat- run Milton Keynes pay lower council tax than most other places in the country. Over 87% of local authorities in England charge their residents more tax than Milton Keynes.

Lib Dem Council Leader Isobel McCall said: "Bedfordshire residents, who pay some of the highest council tax bills in the country, are envious of the substantially lower tax bills paid by their Milton Keynes neighbours.

"We have stuck to our pledge to keep the rise to no more than inflation - it's the same rise as the pension up-grade for 2008/09. And we ensured that all the issues raised in the public consultation on this year's council tax level have been taken into account - the Tories wanted to ditch some of them, but we believe in listening to the people."

Some facts about council tax in 2008/09:

• Neighbouring councils run by the Tories still have a higher council tax than in Lib Dem Milton Keynes

• The average council tax payer in Leighton Buzzard pays over £280 a year more than in Milton Keynes

• Milton Keynes council tax is more than £60 below the national average

• The highest council tax in the country is paid in Labour-run Sedgefield - the area Tony Blair used to represent. Their bills are on average over £300 more than in Lib Dem Milton Keynes.

Band D Council tax 2008/09

South Bedfordshire (Tory) £1,594

Mid Bedfordshire (Tory) £1,518

Bedford (Independent) £1,507

Aylesbury Vale (Tory) £1,409

England average £1,374

South Northants (Tory) £1,345

Milton Keynes (Lib Dem) £1,312