THERE looks set to be some post-Christmas cheer for Haslemere's council tax payers with the news that the Haslemere portion of council tax is only set to rise at around the rate of inflation.

Haslemere town councillors agreed unanimously to a three-and-a-half per cent increase to next year's precept of £144,000.

Proposing that the budget be accepted by members of the finance and general purposes committee, Mark Lelliott said that he hoped that the town would not see another year of significant rises in the precept after last year's increase of 19 per cent and the year before of 16 per cent.

Mr Lelliott said the budget proposals "allows us to keep pace with inflation and leaves us with a little bit of money."

One of the largest items of expenditure for the council next year which has been held in reserve, is £60,000 towards the new and long-awaited Haslewey community building.

Work on the new centre on land in front of Tesco at Lion Green is scheduled to begin next March.

The budget proposals will now go before the full town council at its meeting on 17 January.