FAMILIES are to benefit from a council tax freeze for the second year running.

Newcastle Borough Council approved a zero per cent tax increase on its budget last night.

It means owners of an average Band D property will continue to pay £176.93 over the next year for the authority's services.

The freeze comes after Staffordshire Police Authority, Staffordshire Fire Authority and Staffordshire County Council all voted against increasing its precepts.

Final tax bills for an average Band D property will add up to £1,450.99, which includes £1,028.81 demanded by the county council, £67.64 to police and £67.64 to the fire service. That figure does not include the amount asked for by parish councils.

Introducing the ruling Conservative and Liberal-Democrat coalition's budget proposals at the meeting last night, Councillor Ashley Howells, Conservative, said: "We are proposing a zero per cent increase this year yet again.

"We have delivered savings of £2.1 million this year and a total of £6.2 million between 2007 and 2011. In 2012/13 we will deliver £2.6 million from efficiencies, increased revenue, savings, smarter purchasing and by using funds saved up over the last six years."

Included in the main budget proposals for the year ahead are plans to cut £520,000 by "restructuring council teams", saving £110,000 by not filling vacant posts, and clawing back £350,000 by replacing Jubilee Pool and Knutton Recreation Centre with Jubilee2.

The budget will be propped up by a further £179,000 from the council's budget support fund.

Councillor Stephen Sweeney, Conservative leader of the council, said: "We are continually reviewing how we can continue to provide quality services for our residents without hitting them in the pocket.

"We have achieved that again this year and I can assure our residents we will carry on looking at how we can tighten our belts further while at the same time delivering services that people trust."

Deputy leader, Councillor Robin Studd, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: "It's been a very careful, considered budget.

"The size of the cuts we are facing is nothing like elsewhere. We are not Stoke-on-Trent. We are a well managed council."

But Labour leader, Councillor Gareth Snell, said: "This budget is riddled with problems.

"There are certain things about the way we are treating our staff at the moment that are simply unfair."

Much of last night's debate centred around three Labour amendments to the budget – to take £80,000 from the budget support fund to help unemployed youngsters; to strip £30,000 from the local member initiative fund to recruit a town centre manager; and to scrap the council's car lease scheme to fund anti-burglary equipment for elderly and vulnerable residents.

All were voted down.

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