COLCHESTER Council is set to increase its share of residents’ council tax by just under £5 a year. The authority's cabinet is set to recommend increasing the authority's share of council tax to £200.52 for an average Band D property in 2021/22. This is an increase of £4.95 on the rate paid this year. The rise will raise about £500,000 for the council's coffers, which have been severely hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Further similar increases are also being predicted in 2022/23 and 2023/24. Why is council tax going up? Council tax rose by the same amount, £4.95, for the average property last year as well. However, this year the authority's budgets have been severely effected by Covid.