EDEN District Council has agreed a 1.99 per cent council tax rise as part of its budget for the coming year.

It will mean an annual £3.61 increase for an average Band D property from April.

Included in the budget is an extra £100,000 for a footway lighting programme, an investment of £200,000 into renewable energy systems in major buildings, a contribution of £60,000 to the Sexual Assault Referral Service and £1m into the Affordable Housing Fund.

Council leader Gordon Nicolson OBE said: "Our budget for next year protects our services. This is a tremendous achievement given the major grant reductions we have faced. Our careful financial management has also allowed us to make several important investments."

Despite being frozen for a number of years, Cllr Nicholson said the authority would face difficulty maintaining services if the council tax increase was not brought in line with "cost pressures".

He added the allowances for members has been frozen again.

EDC will be charging residents of an average Band B property £185.18 a year in council tax for 2015-2016 to cover services which include weekly bin collections, recycling services, street cleaning and food safety.

Cllr Kevin Beaty, EDC resources portfolio holder, said: "We all know that funding reductions for local authorities will continue for several more years. This budget shows that this council is as well placed as any to tackle the challenges that this will present."