COUNCIL tenants in Powys are facing a near five per cent rent rise this coming year.

The council's Powys Independent Alliance/Liberal Democrat coalition cabinet is also proposing to increase council tax by 2.25 per cent.

The hike in council house rents has been attacked by opposition councillors who say rents have jumped almost 20 per cent in four years.

The council says the 4.95 per cent rent rise will fund the housing services and its efforts to bring the council's housing stock up to the Welsh Quality Housing Standard.

The proposed percentage guideline increase by the Welsh Government will see

the average weekly rent rise by £3.33 to £70.59 a week. The average

guideline increase for Wales is 5.1 per cent.

Read the full story in this week's Brecon & Radnor Express - out now!