PEOPLE in West Somerset will face a 3% council tax increase – above the national average of 1.8% – after councillors voted to approve the new budget. Members of West Somerset Council approved the budget for 2010-11 at a meeting last night. Other money-saving measures, to bridge an £885,000 budget gap, include: * Increasing fees, charges and rents, generating £31,000.

* Increasing car parking fees, generating £60,000.

* Not replacing vacant positions, saving £85,000.

* Cancelling or reducing discretionary grants, saving £37,000.

Band D properties will now be charged £132.90, an extra £3.87, by West Somerset Council a year – a rise of 7.4p a week.

A report, presented to last night’s meeting, read: “The council’s overall financial position is steadily improving.

“However, reserves are below minimum risk-assessed levels and in future years an annual ongoing overspend is expected. This position is not sustainable.”

It adds: “There is much work to do by the organisation as a whole if it is to identify and secure those annual savings required to balance the future budget.

“The latest medium-term financial plan identifies an annual ongoing overspend of some £400,000 from 2012/13.

“Part of the strategy to balance the future budget must be to maximise council tax income and that means taking steps now to protect future revenue.”