Council tax in Camden will rise by 40p a week from next month as the council signed off the first hike in the levy for six years.

Camden Council agreed to increase council tax by 1.99 per cent from April 1, which equates to £20 extra a year or 40p a week for households in Band D.

The rise is expected to bring in an extra £1.7million over the next year to help deal with overall cuts of £27m in 2015/16.

Since 2010, the council has been forced to make £93m worth of savings and is required to cut a further £70m over the next three years.

Cllr Theo Blackwell, cabinet member for finance and technology policy, insists the council tax hike is a manageable change for residents.

Conservative finance spokesman Cllr Don Williams said “Labour is relentless in punishing Camden’s residents”.

He insisted a Tory administration would reduce council tax by 0.5 per cent through “administrative efficiencies” and “new revenue sources”.