RESIDENTS could be set for a 0.5 percent cut in the tax they pay Tendring Council next year.

The authority said it has earmarked the £2million in savings it has been forced to make following Government cuts.

It is the second year running that local authorities have had to find millions of pounds in savings following a cut in their government grant.

Speaking at a meeting of the council’s cabinet, before he resigned, on Friday, council leader Peter Halliday said: “We found the £2million savings again without cutting frontline services at all.

“It has been a very difficult task to balance the books.”

To achieve the savings, council workers were given only a one per cent increase in pay rather than the expected two per cent rise.