A PARISH council has set its budget for the next financial year at a level of just over £1-a-month for householders in band A properties.

Belmont Parish Council, on the outskirts of Durham City, plans to include the number of bedding plots and create a millennium garden - in line with its commitment to improving its floral displays.

A contingency has been set aside for the purchase of allotments on the former civil service sportsground.

These gardens have been under threat for some years, but a recent planning decision required the owner to reach agreement on their preservation before the development of adjoining land.

Parish council chairman Councillor Peter Thompson said: "The council continues to provide excellent value for money in the provision of its services.

"These include the day-to-day running of the cemetery and floral displays to improve the local environment."