Council tax bills will rise by 2.85 per cent this year.

That is the lowest increase since the council tax was introduced in 1993.

That will mean an average Band D household paying out £1,030. But overall bills will be higher once district council, police authority and fire authority and parish council precepts are added.

The news, unveiled at a Kent County Council meeting on Wednesday, also comes with the revelation that staff will get a one per cent pay award.

~Listen: KCC leader Paul Carter explains the 2.85 per cent maximum increase>>>

Frontline services are said to be spared, thanks to £40m in savings.

County council leader Paul Carter said:"Our proposals protect frontline services.

"Increased demand for services and other cost pressures mean we have had to put an additional £66.4million into the budget.

"The net increase in our government grant was £5.1milllion, leaving the rest to come from savings, income and council tax."

The announcement coincides with new figures suggesting that more and more people are struggling to pay council tax bills. Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that one million people received court summons from councils and that bailiffs called on 600,000 defaulters.

Councils filed for bankruptcy against non-payers in 1,700 cases. The national figures mirror similar statistics obtained for councils across Kent by the Kent Messenger Group last year.

Increased expenditure

Extra cash will be spent as follows:

• £4.6m extra for frontline services to protect vulnerable young people

• £8.7m investment in adult social care

• An extra £15.9m of highways maintenance

• £3.8m to roll out the Freedom Pass countywide from June, giving free bus travel to 11 to 16-year-olds.