COUNCIL taxpayers will pay almost 20 per cent more for the services provided by the Vale of White Horse District Council over the coming year, councillors decided.

Band D householders in the district will face an average charge of £58.79 for the council's services for 1998/99, compared with £49 last year. A bid by Labour and Tory groups to keep the figure at £49 failed. County and parish council tax bills have to be added.

At a full council meeting, amendments tabled by the district's minority Conservative and Labour groups, which proposed keeping the figure at £49, were rejected.

Councillors voted instead for the ruling Liberal Democrat group's proposals, which it claimed would represent an increase of less than 20p a week.

Council leader Bob Johnston said the district council tax was still one of the lowest in Oxfordshire. The average increase would be 20p per week.

"I believe it represents good value for money, and it enables this council to deliver the services, which we were elected to provide." Last year, the average total council tax bill for a Band D household in the Vale, including payments made to Oxfordshire County Council and the Thames Valley Police Authority, was £638.78.

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