COUNTY Durham and Darlington Fire Authority members have unanimously agreed to increase their council tax level by 1.95 per cent from April 1.

They also set their budget at £28.618m - a 2.5 per cent reduction from the current level.

The new council tax level will generate £100,000 per year of additional funding compared to accepting the government’s offer of a grant in return for freezing council tax.

The increase will cost residents £1.80 per year for a property in council tax Band D or £1.20 per year for a property in Band A.

As the majority of properties in County Durham and Darlington are in council tax Band A, most residents will be paying an extra 2p per week for the fire and rescue service.

Councillor Michele Hodgson, chair of County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Authority, said: “Members of the Authority carefully considered all of the options before agreeing how this budget would be set for the coming year.

“Finding savings year-on-year is increasingly difficult especially given that our Service is one of the most efficient in the country.

“The Authority recognised the increasing pressure on household budgets but felt that an additional 2p per week is crucial to maintaining an effective and vital emergency service. “The Authority will continue to monitor the Service Transformation Programme to ensure all options to deliver cash efficiencies are explored.”

The amount of funding the Authority receives from central government will reduce by £1.3m (8.7 per cent) in the coming year.