EVESHAM residents will pay a penny less for their town council services over the next year after a reduction in council tax was agreed.

At a recent meeting the town council decided its budget for the coming year, with councillors voting to support a precept reduction of 1p.

The reduction will see residents in the average Band D council tax bracket paying £44.95 a year to the town council.

Despite the decrease, a larger number of people paying tax in the town due to new housing developments and more people being required to pay, will mean the council receives £349,782. This is an increase of £6,940 on the current year.

But residents will not necessarily pay less overall as Wychavon District Council could still increase its element of the council tax.

A decision on this will be made at the next full council meeting on Tuesday, February 25, at the council offices in Queen Elizabeth Drive in Pershore at 6.15pm.

Councillors also agreed the overall town budget during the first meeting of the year.

Speaking about a grant of £1,800 to the historical society, which will go to the Almonry Museum, Coun Andy Dyke said: "I would like to see that £1,8000 spent, but spent more usefully by the Almonry staff itself."

Coun Gerry O'Donnell asked why the opportunity hadn't been taken to raise the fee for hiring the town hall. He added: "I would like to see more marketing of the town hall, I haven't seen any."

The clerk, Stuart Carter, said the hire fees for the town hall could still be raised and that they were looking into hiring someone to promote the venue.