Research issued by the Audit Commission reveal English councils raised a total of £10.2bn through charging for services in 2011/12.
Money raised this way comprised 9% of the overall service expenditure for unitary and county councils and more than double this proportion, 20% for district councils.
However, around one third (32%) of district councils and more than one in five (21%) of London boroughs raised more in charges than they did through council tax yields.
‘The fact that some bodies derive more income from charging than council tax is neither good nor bad, but highlights the significant role charging plays in funding public services, and reminds councillors and electors to carefully scrutinise the approaches councils are taking,’ said Audit Commission chairman Jeremy Newman.
Mr Newman added: ‘The use of charging to support a service, or influence demand merits closer examination. At the same time, councils need to ensure that their approaches to charging are delivering the benefits expected and remain lawful.’
Sir Merrick Cockell, chairman of the Local Government Association said councils had successfully kept fees and charges low for residents despite rising overheads and the deepest cuts in the public sector.
‘The bigger picture is that the funding system for local government is bust,’ Sir Merrick added. ‘Unless there is a complete overhaul of the way local services are funded we face the very real possibility of local authorities starting to fail their communities.’