| The jobs freeze at West Berkshire Council appears to have paid dividends for taxpayers, with the new Tory administration promising households the lowest tax rise in a decade.
The Conservative cabinet is expected to approve a 2.9% increase next week, against average rises of up to 7% across the country.
The move comes after the council received a below-inflation increase in handouts from the Government, and after a turbulent year for the council, which was forced to scrap a landmark outsourcing contract, endured a change of political control, and has lost several senior officials.
Council Leader, Graham Jones, said: "I believe one of the real values of this budget is that it has been achieved in the face of the meanest government grant for the district in many years, which we have more than overcome. Full details of the new spend on services will be confirmed over the coming weeks. Meanwhile I'm delighted to be able to announce this package of good news which should benefit people right across the district of West Berkshire."
The Tories won control last May after promising to restore council finances. Last year’s Lib Dem budget saw a 3.9% rise on the back of an 11% increase in government funding.
The £173m budget goes before all councillors for approval on March 2. | 
