TOWN hall bosses are set to freeze council tax next year, despite a Government grant being slashed by £1.6million.

Tendring Council will have a zero per cent increase in its share of the overall council tax bill for 2014/5.

It means the average household will continue to pay £147.64 a year to the district council.

The authority has already been told its grant from central Government will be just £3.5million next year.

Council finance boss Alan Goggin (right) said despite the cuts, the council’s cabinet had decided to help residents with the rising cost of living by freezing council tax.

“The challenge of setting a balanced budget is getting harder and harder every year,” he said.

“We are trying to deliver millions of pounds of savings while trying to maintain the quality of the services we offer.”

The budget will be put before a meeting of the full council on February 10.