COUNCIL tax has been frozen for Poole residents for the fourth year in a row, however they will be paying more in 2014/15.

While Borough of Poole’s part of the council tax will remain frozen at £1,209.60 for a typical Band D property, rises in the police and fire precepts will put it up to £1,463.31.

At the full meeting of Borough of Poole tonight, Conservative council leader Cllr Elaine Atkinson presented the council’s budget and warned there were still difficult times to come.

“The financial challenges ahead of us remain the same,” she said.

“We have taken £43.5million from our budgets in cuts and budget pressures through careful financial monitoring and management since 2010/11.”

She said there had been no budget overspend for 11 consecutive years.

“But we still need to find savings of almost £35m by 2018 – and that excludes the unknown impact of the Care Bill.”

Liberal Democrat leader, Cllr Mike Brooke, a member of the cross-party Star Chamber which meets to discuss the council’s finances, commended the “Liberal Democrat budget”.

Cllr Mark Howell, leader of Poole People blamed the government for, “austerity policies resulting in the degradation of public services.”