WYCHAVON'S share of council tax has been frozen for the fourth year in a row.

District councillors decided not to increase how much it asks residents to pay in council tax at an executive board meeting last Wednesday (February 3).

Council tax for the average band D household - which includes Evesham, Pershore and Droitwich - will stay at £120.08 for Wychavon's services from April but bills could still rise due to other planned increases.

Despite the freeze, the average band D household in Wychavon will still have to pay more due to increases elsewhere. Planned rises by Worcestershire County Council and West Mercia Police mean the average bill, excluding parish precepts, will be around £1,790 from April - an increase of around £48.

Cllr Bradley Thomas, leader of Wychavon District Council, said: "The executive board is unanimously behind a call for council to freeze the Wychavon element of council tax.

"This would be the fourth council tax freeze from this council in a row and I fundamentally believe that is the right thing to do. Not just because Wychavon is in a strong financial position.

"Late last year Grant Thorton assessed Wychavon as being the most financially resilient district council in the country and that is something we should be really proud of.

"This is really good news for our taxpayers and is the right thing to support."

Worcestershire County Council has put forward plans to increase its share of council tax by 2.5 per cent - an extra £33 a year for the average household - with one per cent ring-fenced for adult social care.

West Mercia Police's annual precept will increase by £15 to £240.20 a year for the average household - a rise of 6.66 per cent - after plans were backed by the force's police crime and panel at a meeting last Thursday (February 4).

The cost of the region's fire service latest precept has yet to be announced but was just under £86 last year.

The council tax freeze by Wychavon District Council comes after Worcester City Council revealed plans to increase its share by an extra £5.