A TOP politician has challenged opponents to try to keep council tax rises down to the inflation rate year on year.

Clr Kath Pinnock, Liberal Democrat leader of Kirklees Council, hit out after other parties slammed her proposed 5.9% increase.

She said: "You could knock down the rise to inflation one year.

"But the parties which say this should be asked what they would do the following year.

"The rise would have to go up by 8% the next year to make up for it, unless you slash services.

"That's something we don't want to do. It would be letting down communities."

Her comments came as the council prepares to debate its rise at a Huddersfield Town Hall meeting on March 3.

Further increases by the police and fire authorities will send bills soaring even higher.

Clr Pinnock condemned the council tax as a bad idea.

"It hits the poor harder than it hits the rich," she said.

"It takes a greater proportion of poor people's money than it does the rich.

"That is a form of taxation I don't approve of."

Her comments came at a council Cabinet meeting.

Clr Pinnock said long-standing complaints about the unfair distribution of Government grants were still unsettled.

"If we were treated in the same way as Calderdale we would have £14m to £16m more.

"It is a huge amount of money we are being deprived of here in Kirklees," she said.