Families in Southend have cause to celebrate today as the rise in their council tax bills looks set to be much lower than the rest of Essex.

Homeowners across the town are facing a 5.2 per cent increase in the borough's slice of the overall bill.

Meanwhile, residents in the remainder of Essex - including Rochford and Castle Point - will see a 7.2 per cent hike to prop up vital county council services.

District and borough councils across the region and the Essex Police Authority will rubber-stamp their figures over the next fortnight.

However, the Essex Fire Authority has vowed to spend an extra £6.7 million over what the Government said it should next year.

The move, designed to avert cuts to front-line services, must be met by Southend, Thurrock and Essex councils.

This will put added strain on other services including education, libraries and social care.

Southend councillors have pledged to meet half their share of the overspend from reserves.

They hope this will soften the impact on other services and keep council tax bills at the lowest level possible.

If the full amount was covered from the borough's funding pool for services, council tax would have gone up by 6.2 per cent.

If the fire authority had spent to Government recommendations, the council tax levy for Southend would have been increased by just 4.2 per cent.

Liberal Democrat council leader, Graham Longley said: "We are committed to providing value for money for this town.

"We have kept the council tax at the lowest rate we can, but unfortunately the Fire Authority overspend - over which we have no control - has affected our wish to keep bills down.

"However, last year Southend's council tax was lower than all bar one of the 14 districts in Essex, and we expect this maybe the case again this year."

Southend's policy committee will be meeting on Monday night to officially determine its council tax figures.

New figures

Band A £454.36

Band B £530.09

Band C £605.81

Band D £681.54

Band E £832.99

Band F £984.45

Band G £1,135.90

Band H £1,363.08

Note: Leigh residents will have to pay slightly more to fund Leigh Town Council.

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