Harlow Council will freeze its portion of council tax for the third consecutive year as part of its 2024/2025 budget.

It means £13 of every £100 collected in council tax in the town pays for Harlow Council services and the council confirmed it would keep its council tax share the same as last year.

Essex County Council, Essex Police, and Essex Fire & Rescue Service - which are also funded by council tax - are all set to increase their shares.

Dan Swords, leader of Harlow Council, said: "It is no secret that councils up and down the country are facing a huge challenge to balance their budgets and protect services from cuts.

"But in Harlow, it is a completely different story: we are freezing Harlow’s share of Council Tax and protecting all our much-loved and essential services, while investing record amounts into delivering our residents’ priorities."

Council services are set to continue without restriction and will receive funding laid out in the budget approved on February 22.

Participants in the budget meeting discussed matters including a 7.7 per cent raise in housing rent and more than £120 million for rejuvenating council housing and upgrading services.

James Leppard, cabinet portfolio holder for finance, highlighted that unlike many other councils, Harlow is set to freeze its council tax for the third year sequentially.

Mr Leppard said: "This year residents will not pay a single penny more for Harlow Council services with our share of the bill remaining at the same level as it was in 2021."

For low-income households, the council will retain the Local Council Tax Support scheme, benefitting more than 6,000 homes.