ONE of the lowest council tax increases in Devon has been agreed for Mid Devon at a meeting overshadowed by political in-fighting.

Mid Devon District Council set its budget and agreed a 1.5 per cent increase in its share of council tax for the financial year 2010/11.

The rise compares favourably with many other authorities in the county — West Devon Borough Council has increased its precept by 2.59 per cent, and Teignbridge District Council by 1.97 per cent.

Council leader Cllr Peter Hare-Scott said: "We have to bear in mind that many people are finding it tough nowadays and we have to play our part in helping them cope financially.

"We have managed to achieve this without any reduction at all in our frontline services."

However, at the meeting held in Tiverton last Wednesday (February 24), independent councillor Jane Campbell called on the council to restore its increase to the original provisional figure of two percent.

"On a whim just to produce headlines, we get 1.5 percent put forward at the last executive meeting," she said.

"That shows a disregard for the work of the council's policy and development groups which spent a lot of time going through the figures. To throw it all out, I think is really wrong."

A motion by independent councillors to increase the precept by two percent was defeated by Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors.

The Liberal Democrats introduced a number of amendments, including the proposed restoration of a £8,000 Strategic Grants allocation, and the provision of funds for councillors to spend on worthy causes in their wards.

Cllr Polly Colthorpe, who as a county councillor oversees such a locality budget, was opposed to the latter idea. She said: "This money comes from the taxpayer. What makes us think we have a better idea of what to do with it than if it was left in their pockets?"

The 1.5 per cent increase means Mid Devon residents will pay just over 5p extra per week towards the district council in their council tax bills, so the average Band D household will pay Mid Devon £182.15, against £179.46 this year. The total council tax bill is made up of demands levied by Devon County Council, the Devon and Cornwall Police Authority and the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority as well as district and town/parish councils.

The total council tax bill for an average Band D household will increase from £1,522.31 to £1,558.55 in 2010/11.