Commentating, Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, said:

"Under Labour, council tax doubled and bills would have gone through the roof further had Labour clung to power. Labour oppose the council tax freeze and would have given a green light to yet more council tax hikes.

"By contrast, this Government has frozen council tax, scrapped Labour's council tax revaluation and given residents new rights to veto excessive tax rises in the future.

"Conservative councils deliver lower council tax and are making sensible savings to do their bit to pay off Labour's budget deficit. By contrast, Ed Miliband's councils are reveling in politically-motivated and cynical cuts to frontline services, and they continue to charge more on council tax bills because they are badly run."