RESIDENTS could be set for a 0.5 per cent cut in the council tax they pay Tendring Council next year.

The authority said it had earmarked the £2million in savings it had been forced to make after Government cuts.

Speaking at the council’s cabinet, before he resigned as council leader, Peter Halliday said: “We found the £2 million savings again without cutting frontline services.

It has been a difficult task to balance the books.”

To achieve the savings, council workers were given only a 1 per cent pay increase, rather than the expected 2 per cent rise.

Mr Halliday said changes to the structure of the council, staff allowances, street cleaning contracts, homelessness services, as well as an increase in income, had all helped to make the savings.

He said the council would continue with the £300,000 parking scheme which sees Tendring residents given free passes for council- owned car parks after 11am.

The council will also put another £1million into the pot as a contingency for the multi-million pound works to repair the sea wall in Clacton.

An additional £100,000 has also been allocated towards hosting a stage of the international Women Cycling Tour in May.

Mr Halliday added: “We spoke about ending giving bin bags to residents, but we made a decision that we could afford not to do that.”

Tendring receives about 10 per cent of the overall council tax bill, with the majority of the cost set by Essex County Council. The budget will be set next year.