Epping Forest council is set to freeze its council tax precept for a record seventh year in a row.

The average payment of a homeowner living in a Band D property to the local authority is set to remain at £148.77 per month until at least April 2018.

The 2017/18 budget, presented to cabinet by portfolio holder for finance, Cllr Gagen Mohindra, is expected to be rubber-stamped by councillors at a meeting on February 21.

Cllr Mohindra claimed the authority has been able to freeze council tax due to “good financial planning” in the wake of widespread cuts to funding from central government.

He said: “This has not been achieved overnight.

“Even before the financial crisis of 2008, Epping Forest council was setting out our stall as an efficient low-tax council.

“As central government funding has reduced year on year, we set our sights on becoming financially independent.

“Our revenue budget not many years ago was over £18million. That has been reduced to a little over £13million for next year.”

The council said savings made through its recycling scheme and revenue raised from its property portfolio had contributed to the precept freeze.

The authority also hopes to rake in as much a £2.7 million annually from the new Epping Forest Shopping Park, due to open in Loughton later this year.

However, not all the news for Epping Forest ratepayers is good- Essex Police is proposing a 3.35 per cent hike in its council tax precept.

The force wants to use the increase, which would raise £3.1 million through a rise of £4.95 per year on a Band D property, to fund extra officers on the beat across the county.

Last month, the Guardian Series reported Waltham Abbey Town Council was set to increase its precept by 1.95 per cent in the next financial year.

The tax hike, which will boost the council’s coffers by an extra £2 per household each year, means a resident living in a Band D property in the area will now be paying £130 a month in council tax.

The move will see those living in the town paying some £500 more a year than people living at similar properties in Epping, where the town council chose once again to freeze its precept.