Residents may have to pay an extra £5 a year if the go-ahead is given to raise council tax on properties across the district.

As part of East Devon District Council’s draft budget, proposals have been made to increase its council tax for band D homes by 3.7 per cent. The current council tax for a band D property is £136.78 and the amount proposed for 2019/20 is £141.78.

East Devon District Council’s draft budget is set to go before its full council next month, on February 27. Precepts from the police as well as the town, district and county councils make up the annual council tax bill for residents.

Devon County Council’s cabinet has noted that an increase of more than three per cent in council tax would trigger a referendum and that the adult social care precept could only increase by a maximum of one per cent.

Devon and Cornwall Police has launched a consultation to ask whether people would be willing to pay 41p extra for an extra 85 police officers by the end of 2020.

Sidmouth and Ottery town councils have yet to confirm their new precepts.

Visit eastdevon.gov.uk/council-tax for more information on council tax.