THE COUNCIL tax for residents in Aireborough, Horsforth and parts of Wharfedale is to rise by nearly 5 per cent.

Leeds City Council approved a 4.99 per cent increase - excluding police and fire precepts - in its tax for the coming year at its budget-setting meeting last week.

The rise will see the bill for Band D households go up by £63.69p a year, to just under £1,340.

There was little debate about the increase, which council leader Councillor Judith Blake said would raise an extra £18 million to plug a funding gap due to Government cuts, and pay for stretched services.

A total of 30 budget amendments however, mainly from the opposition parties, had been proposed at the meeting but all bar one were voted down.

Otley and Yeadon's ward councillors said they were saddened that the controlling Labour party had refused to back the 'positive' proposals from the Liberal Democrats.

Councillor Colin Campbell (Lib Dem, Otley & Yeadon) said: "These included major plans to boost recycling and help protect the environment.

"We proposed to build an anaerobic digester to recycle residents' food waste.

"This would remove waste from black bins and create natural gas to be used as part of our long term plan to make Leeds energy self-sufficient by 2030.

"We also proposed to introduce glass recycling and do away with the council's DIY tax on taking waste to recycle sites.

"This would help residents who cannot get to a bottle bank and reduce the cost of removing fly tipping."

Councillor Ryk Downes (Lib Dem, Otley & Yeadon) said: "As part of our proposal to benefit the community we also planned to create a local housing company to build affordable units on council Land in Otley and Yeadon.

"This would help us to ensure young people could stay in the area.

"As a further measure to support community services we would introduce 100 per cent business rate relief for struggling community pharmacies."

Councillor Sandy Lay (Lib Dem, Otley & Yeadon) added: "On the social care side we proposed that the council employ a team of six Admiral nurses - who work just like Macmillan nurses but with dementia sufferers.

"We also suggested building new residential accommodation for children with complex needs, along with measures to ensure adult care facilities reflect local need.

"Our proposal to end period poverty for school children was also, sadly, rejected."

Deputy council leader Councillor James Lewis, however, said at the meeting that Labour had set out a clear plan 'for delivering a compassionate city in the teeth of Tory austerity.'

And he dismissed proposals from the opposition parties as 'a load of random nonsense'.

The city council's net budget for the coming year has been set at £510.9 million, which is up by £18.2 million on last year.