A council tax freeze is being proposed by East Cambridgeshire District Council for the 10th consecutive year. 

The authority is planning to keep the amount it receives in council tax at the same level. 

A council tax bill is made up of contributions from all the relevant local authorities including councils, fire authority, police and potentially the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority. 

In East Cambridgeshire, the district council has said it can set a balanced budget using £2.5m of its surplus savings reserve, and also by not raising council tax. 

The authority is planning to increase the council tax premiums it charges for long-term empty properties, and is also proposing to increase the fees and changes it has control over by seven per cent. 

A report presented to the district council’s finance and assets committee on January 23 said increasing fees and charges would “ensure that the additional cost of providing the service met by the person/organisation benefitting from the service, rather than the general populace through council tax”. 

Leader of the district council, Cllr Anna Bailey, said the authority “remains committed” to only raising council tax “if needed”. 

She said: “This budget does propose that we recommend to full council that we do freeze council tax again for the forthcoming financial year. 

“That will be the 10th year in a row that this district authority has frozen its share of the council tax bill for residents. 

“I recognise it is a relatively modest contribution in the great scheme of council tax bills which are increasingly expensive for residents. 

“£142.14 for a Band D property in 2013 and remaining at £142.14 for a Band D property in 2023 and I think this council can be proud that it offers excellent value for money from that income.”