Council tax bills for the largest two authorities in Suffolk are set to be frozen next year as the Police and Crime Commissioner is expected to follow the county council lead.

The authorities will be able to benefit from a government bonus for keeping their council tax figure at this year's level for a further 12 months.

The county's cabinet is due to discuss its budget at its meeting in Bury St Edmunds today .

The meeting is expected to give the go-ahead to take proposals for next year's budget to next month's full county council meeting.

This will include a budget cut of £38.6million – although the Labour opposition has suggested that the cut should be less deep and made up with some of the money that is sitting in the council's unallocated reserves.

Suffolk's Police and Crime Panel is due to meet at the end of the week. Police and Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore is to tell them that he is proposing to freeze council tax bills next year.

He said: 'We have looked at the figures and we should get a 1% bonus for freezing council tax – and we should also get more from the Government's innovation fund.'

He has discussed his proposed budget with chief constable Douglas Paxton who is happy with his proposals.

Mr Passmore said: 'We have been able to put more money into front-line policing. There are now about 1,200 police officers in Suffolk which is slightly more than when I took up the role.'

That decision means most people in Suffolk will not see any council tax rise – except for any increase in parish or town council elements.