A 4.5 per cent increase in council tax has been agreed by Canterbury City Council.

It amounts to amounts a tax of £174.42 for an average band D property in the district.

Members of the Conservative-controlled authority agreed the figure at the annual budget meeting.

The city council's precept will be added to KCC's of £1,026, the police charge of £134, the £66 which goes to the fire service plus any parish council precepts.

Council leader John Gilbey said: "This is not a spend your way out of a recession budget.

"The watchword for the coming year has to be vigilence with budgetary control and realistic appraisal of our financial position."

However, the Liberal Democrat and Labour groups had proposed a raft of amendments to the budget.

Among them were more spending on CCTV and the reintroduction of two town centre managers for Herne Bay and Whitstable.