Surrey Conservatives approve 1.99% council tax rise

Council leader David Hodge said the situation was not ideal

Council tax in Surrey is to rise this year despite government calls for it to be frozen.

The rise of 1.99% was approved by Conservative-run Surrey County Council at a full meeting of the authority to agree the budget on Tuesday. The Lib Dems voted against the rise.

Council leader David Hodge said the situation was not ideal, but that times were tough financially.

The extra money will be used for key services such as road repairs.

The council said it had made savings of £200m since 2010, but all had been "wiped out by a dwindling government grant and increasing demand for services".

It said a further £200m of savings over the next four years had been identified.