Council tenants in Wolverhampton will be forced to pay £91 a year for new fencing across the city – as it was confirmed rents will go up by 6.25 per cent in April.

Today it emerged the Tory cabinet is imposing a “service charge” of £1.75 a week for new boundary fencing on thousands of tenants, except for those who are living in flats.

The fee will rake in around £200,000 a year and enable Wolverhampton Homes, which manages the council housing stock, to replace worn-out fencing on a phased basis over 12 years.

The rent increase for the city’s 26,700 council house tenants will add £4.50 a week to the cost of a three-bed house and nearly £4 for a two-bed property.

It will see many residents paying £70 a week rent for the first time.

Confirming the increase at a cabinet meeting last night, Tory councillor Paddy Bradley, cabinet member for regeneration, said: “The rise in rent charges gives us no pleasure.

“Running council homes really is a poisoned chalice. Things always need repairing and the costs of maintaining the properties are high.”

Describing the £1.75 weekly charge for fencing as “appropriate”, she added: “When this was first raised the chairman of Wolverhampton Homes board (Sue Roberts) thought she would get lynched by raising it at meetings with tenants, but she found the majority were in favour and far less were against it.”

But Dave Poyner, from Vauxhall House Tenants Association, said today many people were angry about the charges.

He said: “This is very disappointing but there’s not a lot we can do – we have no choice but to pay up.”

Elsewhere cleaning charges for communal areas in flats will go up by 7p a week to £1.22, while garage charges will rise by 20p a week.

Another 5,000 residents are also being sent letters saying they will have to pay £2 a week for their central heating costs.