ESSEX County Council will increase its council tax by 1.9 per cent this year. The authority says the below inflation figure is its lowest ever increase in the 20-year history of council tax, equating to an additional 38p per week for an average Band D hou

ESSEX County Council will increase its council tax by 1.9 per cent this year.

The authority says the below inflation figure is its lowest ever increase in the 20-year history of council tax, equating to an additional 38p per week for an average Band D household.

The county council's cabinet member for finance, Cllr Sarah Candy, said: "Despite the perilous state of the public finances and ever increasing demands we are determined to deliver value for money for the people of Essex.

"We have accelerated our transformation programme, streamlining our back office so that we can put savings back into frontline services.

"All these efforts have enabled us to deliver savings, efficiencies and increased income in the last year or around �85 million and have allowed us to put forward another below inflation level of council tax."

The proposal and budget will be presented for ratification at full council on February 9. Final council tax bills will include elements from district councils, police and fire authorities and parish councils.