Council tax bills across the district are to remain largely unchanged in the coming year after Teignbridge Council this week approved its budget.

On Monday, members voted through a programme worth £14.9 million, a reduction of almost 14 per cent on last year.

Teignbridge has followed suit with other Devon revenue-raising authorities by not increasing the burden on tax payers.

Devon County Council has pegged its bill at £1,116 for a Band D property, Devon and Cornwall Police Authority at £157 and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service at £72.

Teignbridge's charge of £150 will make a total of £1,495 on top of which is to be added parish precepts which range from a few pounds a year to a maximum of £86.

Most have altered by only a few pence, if anything at all, compared to last year.

Delivering his budget speech leader Cllr Alan Connett praised council staff for their part in finding efficiency savings and confirmed a £250 pay increase for those earning less than £21,000.

Summing up what he described as 'a difficult budget' with a shrinking government subsidy he said: 'I would like to do more to help and will look at next year's budget to see what can be achieved.'

His opposite number, Conservative leader Cllr Jeremy Christophers, instructed his party to abstain from the vote.

The Tories, who hold 18 of the 46 seats and form the second largest group after the Liberal Democrats who have 20, made the decision despite saying the authority was 'moving in the right direction'.

Cllr Jeremy Christophers told the meeting that what was needed was 'a steady hand on the tiller and not one that yanked left or right for the sake of it'.

He went on to say about the proposed budget: 'On the face of it it does look financially sound.'

But Cllr Christophers expressed his disappointment that the district's housing targets had been missed and said his party would abstain from the vote.

In a recorded vote 25 members were in support and 17, all Conservatives, abstained.

After the meeting, Cllr Christophers said: 'I just didn't want to have a massive debate which is what would have happened if we had said we were going to vote against the budget proposals.

'But what was presented looks nothing like a Conservative budget.

'There are key issues we would focus on if forming the next administration such as a slimmed down executive and an individual responsible for promoting tourism.

'We have some really exciting proposals which will emerge in good time as the May local elections approach.'