Rob GarrattFamilies living in Breckland will see a record low increase in council tax after leaders voted through the council's budget for the next 12 months.A combined total council tax rate has been totted up and ticked off by the authority's full council - and it represents one of the smallest rises in recent memory.Rob Garratt

Families living in Breckland will see a record low increase in council tax after leaders voted through the council's budget for the next 12 months.

A combined total council tax rate has been totted up and ticked off by the authority's full council - and it represents one of the smallest rises in recent memory.

Breckland agreed a zero rise in their slice of the bill last month, and yesterday it was added to a record low increase for Norfolk County Council's share, which makes up the bulk of council tax bill, as well as Norfolk Police and parish council's contributions.

The average home will see an increase of just under 2pc to their combined bill, with a band D property in Dereham paying �1,478.05 over the financial year from April; which works out as �147.81 in ten monthly payments, or �28.42 a week.

Contributions to Norfolk County Council have increased by a record low of 1.9pc, with annual contribution for a standard band D property increasing by �21.33 from �1,123.74 to �1,145.07. Meanwhile Norfolk Police's annual slice for the same home has increased by just over 3pc - or around �6 - to �191.16.

These costs have been added to the rate set by Breckland - which has been frozen at �64.05 for a band D property - and parish council bills, which have risen in Breckland by an average of 2.4pc and range from nothing to �81.45 a year, and include specialist street lighting expenses. The highest parish rate is found in Thetford while the lowest is found in parishes such as Snetterton, Necton and Bylaugh, where there is no parish council.

Deputy leader William Smith said the council held an 'aspiration' to maintain its current rate, the lowest district council rate in the country, until 2013.

He added: 'Officers and members have worked well to produce and maintain council tax at its current levels, maintaining the quality of public services and robustness of public finances.'

The cheapest annual bill in Breckland will be found in a Band A home in parishes with no council, such as Stanford or Lynford, is �933.52 - while the highest bill, in a Band H home in Thetford, clocks in at �2,996.02.

A band D home in in Thetford it clocks in at �1,498.01, or �28.81. In Watton the cost will be �1,475.22 a year or �28.37 a week, while Attlebough's rate has been set at �1,469.85 a year or �28.27 a week and Swaffham's is �1,480.44 a year or �28.47 a week.