A typical Sidmouth family living in a Band D property can expect to pay a total council tax bill of £ 1,559.68 over the next year.

The figure is a 1.8 per cent increase from last year and the second highest out of East Devon’s eight towns, and bills will start dropping through letter boxes by mid March.

About 7.5 per cent of the bill goes to the district council, 2.5 percent tothe town council, 74 per cent to the county council, 11 per cent to the police and five per cent to the fire service.

But at last Wednesday’s East Devon District Council meeting leader Paul Diviani said that East Devon taxpayers would be paying the lowest rates in Devon and the 16th lowest in the country and their part of the council tax would be frozen for the fourth successive year. He said: “I intend again to recommend we freeze our Members’ allowances for next year as we cannot expect people to understand why we should consider our circumstances to be any different from the majority of the population.”

Over the next year he said that they would ‘expend’ recycling collections and work towards collecting plastic and cardboard.

“When we all work together irrespective of political parties we can all do the job we are elected to do and give the people of East Devon the best possible service at the lowest possible price, this is what we have done each year, every year and fully intend to continue so to do”.

Over 65,000 Council Tax bills will be sent out around March 13 and this year the envelope will feel a little lighter. Following Government guidance on Council Tax information and to save costs there is no explanatory booklet. All the usual information about how your money is spent will be on EDDC’s website. Other councils in Devon are following the same practice this year.

A council spokesman said: “If anyone thinks they are going to struggle to pay this priority bill then the earlier they talk to someone the better. Contact the Council and we may be able to reduce the amount of Council Tax you have to pay and change the date you have to pay it. We also offer free independent and confidential help and advice.

“As our phones will be extremely busy in the middle of March, you may prefer to email us at counciltax@eastdevon.gov.uk

To pay by direct debit call 01395 517446.