South Norfolk Council has set a fourth council tax freeze in five years.

The district council's budget was set at a meeting tonight, despite a counter proposal by opposition members to cut the authority's precept by 2pc.

The 2012/13 budget sets aside more than �550,000 for a Localism project to allow communities to have a greater say over where public funds should be spent whilst also setting aside a similar sum for reserves to prepare for life with less central government funding.

The Tory-controlled district council also approved plans to make savings by transferring its legal services to NPLaw - a shared service with Norfolk County Council, Norwich City Council and Great Yarmouth Borough Council - despite opposition from Liberal Democrat councillors and union officials.

Council leader John Fuller said: 'Council tax has been frozen across the country, but we have done it for the fourth time in five years and it is a time when residents need it most and improving our service delivery at the same time.'

Murray Gray, Liberal Democrat group leader, had called for the authority to plough a smaller amount into its Localism 'experiment' and reduce council tax by 2pc.