HAMPSHIRE County Council will be charging an extra £1.31 a week for the year from April for services in its share of residents’ council tax bill.

This rise follows an increase of about £1 a week for the year from April 2017 to April 2018.

The two increases mean that from April 2017 to April 2019 the authority has increased it’s share of council tax by around £120 a year.

Announcing the latest rise, council leader, Cllr Roy Perry, said the budget for the year until April 2019 approved on Thursday, February 22, would still provide some of the best public services in the country.

He said: “It will particularly contribute towards some of the pressures resulting from growing demand for social care for the elderly, vulnerable adults, and young people.

“Compared with counties such as Dorset and Surrey where council tax can be over £200 per annum more, Hampshire will deliver ongoing value for money.”

For the year from April, residents in the average band D property will be paying £1,200.96 for council services – or around £1.31 extra per week.

Councillor Perry added: “ A balanced budget for 2018/19 has been achievable thanks to the scale and capacity of the council, and our careful stewardship of taxpayers’ money - adopting a prudent, long term financial strategy, despite significant and well-documented ongoing financial pressures, together with growing demand for services and rising inflation.

“As well as delivering a balanced budget, our £530m capital investment programme will generate growth in Hampshire’s economy, jobs and quality of the environment - delivering schemes which include £146m investment in new and extended school buildings; £120m for the structural maintenance of roads and bridges, and £133m for integrated transport schemes to improve access to key employment areas.

“Despite the need for on-going major financial constraint across the public sector as a whole, the council is determined to sustain stable finances on behalf of the taxpayers of Hampshire, while delivering some of the best local services to residents, as we have done for many years – ensuring we protect the most vulnerable in our communities.”