REDCAR and Cleveland Borough Council will not be putting up its part of the council tax for the second year running, the council's controlling Labour Group announced yesterday. At the same time it also unveiled a £1m increase in voluntary sector and council services in the borough.

While residents' final council tax bill will be higher than this year's, council leader David Walsh explained this would be due to the significant rise in the police precept the part of the bill which funds Cleveland Constabulary.

Coun Walsh said services threatened by cash reductions from central government, would also be rescued because of efficiency savings.

He said the boost to services included more cash for social services, the Neighbourhood Warden scheme, the welfare rights service and for highway cleansing on the borough's roads; a growth in social care packages; an out of hours extension of the food safety service; a cash grant to cover the cost of council-supported bus routes in East Cleveland and a boost for town centre management to help regenerate high streets.

Coun Walsh said: "These new initiatives will see a cleaner, safer borough, and one where schemes designed to help the most vulnerable in our society will be able to continue and grow."