Councillors voted for no increase in Torridge's council tax at Monday night's special full council meeting.

With local residents, businesses and communities at the very heart of everything Torridge District Council does, councillors wholeheartedly agreed to a budget that will mean no increase in the amount of council tax it asks residents to pay for its services.

Torridge was pleased to be able to respond to public requests for support in this time of economic challenge and, with a steer from members of their Citizens' Panel, they have rigorously challenged their budget, reduced costs and are looking to enhance services whilst at the same time supporting important local community initiatives which will help to deliver key strategic plan objectives for 2009/10.

James Morrish, Leader of Torridge District Council said: "I am delighted that we are able to freeze our council tax without adversely affecting the services we provide."

Although their own councillors have voted on a zero increase, Torridge has no control over other council tax-raising authorities such as Devon County Council, Devon and Cornwall Police, and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority who have all increased their council tax rates. As a result, typically residents will find that their overall council tax bill will have gone up. Although Torridge is the collecting authority throughout the district, they actually receive only 9.6 per cent of the total amount.

What this means is a typical Band D Council Tax payer will pay £140.17 per year to Torridge (the same as last year), which is equivalent to £2.70 a week for all the services that they provide.

In addition to those services, in 2009/10 Torridge proposes to spend some of the money collected on:

• Increasing the availability of affordable housing.

• Local grants to a sum of over £120,000 for initiatives such as community transport, ward specific schemes and local organisations grants.

• Funding free bus travel for residents over the age of 60.

• Supporting the in-principle agreement from the Regional Development Agency to partially fund the £5 million redevelopment of Holsworthy Livestock Market.

• Providing rural access surgeries to remote Torridge residents.

Council Leader James Morrish added: "Today's decision of a 0% nil increase in council tax is just the start of good things to come. We place our communities at the heart of every decision we take here at Torridge. Unfortu­nately Devon County Council could not match us and as they take the lion's share of the council tax from our residents, their increase of 2.89 per cent means that on average, Torridge residents will need to find an extra £30.78, which I find really disappointing."