Authorities agree plans for council tax and rent

South Cambridgeshire District Council approved a 2.99% council tax increase

Councillors at two authorities have approved council tax plans for the next financial year.

East Cambridgeshire District Council has agreed to freeze its share of council tax for the 12th year, something its leader, Conservative Anna Bailey, said she was "very proud" of.

However, residents will still see an increase in their payments as other authorities in the county have increased their share of the bill, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

People living in a Band D property will continue to pay the district council £142.14 a year.

Bailey said the council had "yet again managed to show a balanced budget for the next two years with no cuts" and highlighted plans to keep free car parking in the town centres.

Papers published by the authority said a budget gap of £5.2m was still forecast in 2027/28.

South Cambridgeshire District Council, meanwhile, has agreed to increase its share of council tax by 2.99%.

This means a Band D household will pay £175.40 to the district council a year, an increase of £5.09.

East Cambridgeshire District Council will not increase council tax again this year

The authority has also agreed to increase council house rents by 2.7%.

John Williams, Liberal Democrat cabinet member for resources, told a meeting on Tuesday: "The rents our tenants pay not only pay for repairs and maintenance of homes, but also for our capital programme to build more council houses.

"In that context we really had no choice but to put council rents up."