FAREHAM has achieved something which I don’t think has been given enough attention.

Council tax has been frozen in Fareham for a seventh straight year. We hold the impressive title of lowest council tax in the south of England.

Sixth lowest in the whole of the UK. Even in the three years preceding the freezes, council tax rose at the rate below that of inflation.

I ask you to pause for a moment with this thought. Band D Council Tax is £1,396.81, over the past seven years there has been an 11 per cent rise in council tax on average in other authorities across the nation.

The council has implemented plans to generate supplementary income through buying up and renting property as an alternative to council tax rises.

Fareham Borough Council also maintains excellent collection rates for council tax (98.7 per cent in 2013/14) which compares excellently with other authorities both in Hampshire and nationally.

Yet residents have not suffered from a loss in quality of services. Resident satisfaction remains as high as ever.

Fareham residents have it good and we’re fortunate to be one of the best managed councils in the land.

TOM DAVIES, FAREHAM