TAXPAYERS in the Chiltern district will pay an extra 4 per cent in council tax for the next year, it was confirmed this evening.

The proposal for the increase was unanimously accepted by Chiltern District Councillors at a full council meeting earlier this evening.

An average Band D property in the district will therefore pay an average of £144.76 to the district council in council tax.

Council leader John Warder said: "It is a robust budget this year and we have done a good job. We are a very low cost authority with a high quality of services - that was the judgement from the audit commission.

"It has required some hard thinking and careful consideration of our priorities in order to achieve this budget."

He added the increase came well below the rate of inflation.