CHELMSFORD residents will pay an average council tax increase of 2.93 per cent.

At a full council meeting recently, the Conservative-controlled council won a vote of 28 to 23 for its share of the council tax to be £163.29 for a Band D property, an increase of £4.65p a year.

Tom Smith-Hughes, the Liberal Democrat opposition spokesman on finance, said his party could not support the recommendations for the new council tax, which included fees and charges rising above three per cent and special expenses for the town centre area, which will be paid by around 40 per cent of residents, making their total rise 5.9 per cent.

He said: “This is blantantly unfair. These facilities are enjoyed not just by those who live in the non-parished areas, but by residents across the borough and by visitors and workers from outside.”

He said his group would not be moving an amendment “because there is little room for manoeuvre”.

John Galley, Cabinet member for finance, said calculating the tax rise had been “a fine balancing act” between continuing to provide the current level of services and taking into account the economic hardship faced by tax payers.

He added: “We are continuing all frontline services at current levels at affordable prices.

“The Conservative administration is proud of the way it has continued to maintain frontline services and giving people what they want at a price they can afford.”