Members vote for reduction in tax bills

Council members voted by the narrowest of margins to accept cabinet's recommendation to cut tax bills by one per cent. But increases in police and fire authority charges mean the reduction is only 0.58 per cent.

It means the council tax bill for a household living in a band D property and not qualifying for any rebate will be 1227 – 12 less than last year's bill (not including the parish, police and fire authority precepts).

The Conservative budget was agreed by 24 votes to 22.

Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors wanted to freeze the tax. But the Tory spending plan was pushed through with backing from past and present BNP councillors – Geoffrey Wallace and Tom Bates – and Liberal Democrat-turned-independent Diane Park.

The reduction follows two years where the council has introduced its lowest ever tax increases.

Council leader Stephen Baines said: "We have worked hard to identify a range of savings, while at the same time investing in priority services, such as children and young people, services to older people and tackling fly-tipping."