ONGAR parish council has set a tiny increase in its precept for the coming year with band D households only paying 98p more in 2004-05.

Councillors approved the increase (less than 2p a week for band D) at last week's parish council meeting when a total expenditure of £91,769 was set for the next financial year.

Of this, £77,970 is to come from Ongar residents through the council tax precept, which makes up a very small portion of the total council tax paid.

The council has increased the previously proposed £3,000 for crime prevention measures to £5,000 and this extra money is coming from the council's reserves and not from the council tax payer.

Council chairman Roger Roles said: "I think we've done exceedingly well to achieve this and I suspect not many other councils will match the level of control that we've managed this year."

Band D households paid £29.94 a year to the parish council in 2003-04. This will increase to £30.92 for 2004-05.