RESIDENTS in Liphook and neighbouring villages are set to see the first council tax hike for several years as East Hampshire District Council struggles to plug a funding gap of almost £250,000.

If increases of almost three per cent are agreed at a special cabinet meeting next week council tax payers in band D could see EHDC's portion of their bills rising from £127.67 to £131.37 - an increase of £3.70.

For full story, see this week's Liphook Herald.