Praise for “community focused" council over council tax rise

A proposed 2.5 per cent increase in Epping Forest District Council's share of council tax bills for the next financial year should be welcomed.
The Conservative-led authority is set to approve a 2.5 per cent rise - one of the lowest district council increases in Essex.
During these times of economic hardship I know that local council tax payers will be relieved that Epping Forest District Council is able to control its budgets and spending levels so that council tax payers can stomach a relatively small increase in their council tax bills for the next financial year.
It would have been easy for the authority to have increased its fees and charges, and added a few more pounds to council tax bills to make life easier for the budget-setters, but this has not been the case.
We have already seen the district council freeze pay-and-display parking charges, and it is welcoming to see it continuing to be community-focused and putting its residents at the forefront of its decision-making when it comes to next year's council tax.
“It remains true that Conservative councils cost you less.