Council Tax finances around two-thirds of the Council's net spending (excluding the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) which now goes directly to schools), the remainder comes from the Government.

Set by whom and why?

In Cambridgeshire, Council Tax is set by:

• Cambridgeshire County Council
• the 4 districts and city council
• Cambridgeshire Police Authority
• Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Fire Authority
• Parish Councils

Districts / City council collect the tax on behalf of all the tax-setting authorities.

Council Tax Rises

The 3.9% increase in the county's element of Council Tax is below the treasury's expected upper threshold for increases. Cambridgeshire has the fourth lowest Council Tax of any County Council in England.

What is Band D?

The tax is based on domestic property values, placing each property within one of eight bands.  Council tax is compared between authorities using the Band D rate and the calculation of the other tax bands is based on set ratios from the Band D.