Residents in East Cambridgeshire will see a council tax freeze for the 10th successive year. 

The decision made at East Cambridgeshire District Council’s [ECDC] full council meeting on February 21 means a Band D property will pay £142.14 to ECDC, the same amount as in 2013. 

Councillor Anna Bailey, leader of ECDC, shared her happiness with the announcement. 

“This is at a time when many other local authorities are increasing theirs [council tax] by the maximum amount possible,” she said. 

“Household costs are rising sharply, and as a council, we want to do whatever we can to support our residents.” 

ECDC says the amount that residents will pay the district council is eight per cent of the total bill, with the remainder divided between Cambridgeshire County Council, parish or town councils, emergency services and the Combined Authority. 

READ MORE: East Cambridgeshire plans to freeze its council tax

Last month, ECDC said it can set a balanced budget using £2.5m of its surplus savings reserve and also by not raising council tax.   

The budget for the 2023-24 financial year highlights a spend of £2.8 million, which includes a new fleet of 10 waste recycling vehicles that run on hydrotreated vegetable oil to help the council reduce its carbon emissions. 

Further pots of money are due to go towards projects such as supporting the upgrade of the A14 as well as buying new wheeled bins to support housing growth in the district. 

ECDC is also planning to make further payments to East Cambridgeshire Trading Company, the council’s trading arm which runs new and affordable housing, by £1.7m. 

“It’s inevitable that with the cost of living crisis this is challenging,” Cllr Bailey added.  

“But whereas many other local authorities are struggling to make ends meet now and relying on external borrowing and raising council tax, we are doing more than holding our own.”