Freezing council tax is ‘an act of public service' that ‘residents will greatly appreciate' during the ongoing period of economic austerity, local government minister, Bob Neill, has told councils.

Mr Neill this week wrote to all local authorities urging them to take up the Government's offer to fund a council tax ‘freeze' for 2012/13, amid evidence that the number of authorities planning to implement the Government's plan now exceeds 200.