Neigbours face £90 difference in council tax

The administrative boundary dividing Hull and the East Riding runs through Faversham Avenue, leaving Julie Harmer at number 25 better off than Geoff Beal at 27. Mrs Harmer lives in Hull, where the city council has frozen council tax charges for the next 12 months, leaving her with a projected bill of 852.93 for a Band B property. But Mr Beal, who lives in the East Riding, will have to find at least 942.82 because that authority has decided to raise council tax by 1.5 per cent. Residents on the East Riding side of the street also have to fork out a small charge for services carried out by Anlaby Parish Council, unlike their neighbours in Hull, where there is no parish council. Mr Beal, 62, a retired tourist information officer, said he is baffled by the discrepancy. "The boundary line dates back many years and actually cuts right through my house, meaning part of the living room is in Hull and part of it is in East Riding," he said. "But it is classed as East Riding, meaning I have to pay more even though my house is absolutely identical to the four others on the street. "I didn't have a clue I was paying more until a couple of years ago. I was having a chat with friends about council tax and it turned out that theirs was cheaper than mine because they lived in Hull. "I looked into it and it turns out that the rates used to be more or less the same until a few years ago." He added: "I can only presume East Riding of Yorkshire Council have had to pay out more money for local services recently. It's a very strange situation. "Hopefully over time the rates will even up again – or if I'm lucky mine will eventually get cheaper." Mr Beal said both properties have the same design and layout with matching gardens at the rear. Another consequence of the divide is that Mr Beal's bins are collected on Thursdays, a day earlier than Mrs Harmer's. The differences have not upset neighbourhood harmony, however. Mrs Harmer said: "Geoff may live across the border but we're still next door neighbours and good friends." Coun Carl Minns, leader of the Liberal Democrat-run Hull authority, said the decision to freeze council tax was prompted by the continuing impact of the recession. This week, his counterpart in the East Riding, Coun Stephen Parnaby, also cited the economic downturn for the Conservative-run council's decision to ignore officers' recommendation for a three per cent rise. He added: "I believe this is a responsible budget based on sound principles and the council's record of excellent financial management. It protects essential services while taking account of our residents and their ability to pay." The highest fee for a Band H property in Hull is 2,193.26, compared to 2,424.40 in the East Riding. Charges in both council areas are expected to rise slightly when police and fire authority precepts are added. Brian Draper, 50, who lives at number 23, said: "It's daft, the boundary line zig-zags right through Geoff's house. "I've lived here for 21 years and me and Geoff have often had a laugh about it, but it's bizarre and unfortunate for him because he has to pay more for exactly the same services as the rest of the street gets. "I do wonder if this is the only place in the country where next-door-neighbours are classed as living in completely different areas." The Taxpayers' Alliance dismissed the lower than recommended rise in the East Riding as "window-dressing".