WEST Oxfordshire District Council is to freeze its share of council tax and councillors’ allowances, and maintain free parking, in its budget for the next financial year.

The council also agreed to reduce a proposed 10 per cent cut to grants for groups such as Citizens’ Advice Bureau and Witney youth centre Base 33. The grants pot will be cut from £300,000 to £281,000.

The budget for 2012/13 received unanimous cross-party support at a full council meeting yesterday. Councillors rejected recommendations from an independent remuneration panel to increase basic allowances from £4,350 to £4,415 a year.

Council tax will be frozen, at £81.63p a year for a Band D property, free parking across the district will be maintained and there will be no increase in charges for taxi licences, market stallholders or trade waste disposal.