People will see a 5% rise in their council tax bills from April after councillors approved the budget for the forthcoming year.

The increase is due to government cuts, according to the Conservative group and will mean the average band D home will pay an additional £68.02 over the year.

The increase is due to government cuts that have reduced the amount the Treasury gives councils to run local services, says the ruling Conservative group.

The council’s budget for 2017/18 was approved by councillors last night at a full council meeting held at the St George’s Centre, in Chatham Maritime.

Councils were previously only allowed to increase council tax by 2% without triggering a referendum, but powers introduced last year allowed for a further 2% rise to cover increased social care costs.

However, this year local authorities are allowed to increase council tax by an extra 3% in 2017/18 and 2018/19, if they don’t increase taxes in 2019/20.

Crime commissioner Matthew Scott is proposing a 3.3% increase on Kent Police’s part of the overall bill, meaning residents living in a band D home would pay an extra £5 a year.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service is also increasing its council tax charge by 1.88% which equates to £1.35 on an average bill.

Previously council leader Cllr Alan Jarrett said: “We are facing a £10 million cut in revenue support grants and growing pressures on the children’s and adult budget.

“Government cuts to the new homes bonus, despite a grant for adult and social care, mean that we are still £1.2m worse off.

Last night Cllr Jarrett added: “Every year the budget gets more and more difficult than the year before.

“Medway Council still has the lowest tax in Kent and the 11th lowest unitary authority in the UK.”