WOLVERLEY and Cookley parish councillors have voted to freeze the rate of council tax charged in the villages.

A resolution to increase the parish rate by 2.5 per cent was rejected when the council met on Tuesday last week.

Councillor John Wardle led opposition to the proposed hike, claiming it would hit people on fixed incomes - particularly pensioners - hard in the pocket.

He said: "I was successful in persuading the council to make no increase next year.

"That means there won't be any increase next year for Wolverley and Cookley.

"It was a unanimous decision by the council."