ONE of North Yorkshire’s districts has decided to freeze its council tax precept this year.

Residents of the sprawling Harrogate district can now expect no increase in the local element of their council tax bill for the fifth year running.

The borough council’s cabinet member for finance, Coun Jim Clark, described the fifth consecutive zero rise as “quite exceptional.”

He added: “There’s no need for a 1.95 per cent rise which is what we had been predicting. We can still get a balanced budget which means we will have enough money next year to deliver our services and there will be no need for any service cuts.

“It has been a challenge to prepare our draft budget, but we’ve got a strong financial basis. We have again achieved this by prudent financial management and creating a number of efficiencies.”