YOU'LL probably have to pay an extra £5 next year to have your bins emptied, to finance the work of environmental health officers and planning decisions and to help prevent flooding.

Taunton Deane Borough Council plans to put up its share of the council tax demand by 3.5 per cent, raising the average Band D property annual levy by £5 to £149.62 for the year from April.

Of the increase in council tax, £1.74 will help fund flood alleviation works by the Somerset Rivers Authority.

The council's demand represents about a tenth of your overall council tax bill - Somerset County Council, the police and fire and rescue service will shortly announce how much they expect you to pay.

Despite successive cuts in Government funding, the Conservative-led authority has pledged to protect frontline services, protect council staff's jobs and reduce council house rents by one per cent for the second year running Announcing the budget plans, council leader Cllr John Williams said the authority hopes to "maintain its ambitious investment plans despite an ongoing (Government) squeeze on funding" by investing in "growth and development schemes to boost the local economy".

Up to £16.6 million over five years will support schemes such as flood alleviation in Taunton, transport, town centre regeneration and employment sites, including land off Junction 25 of the M5, which is envisaged to create 4,000 jobs.

Almost £10 million will go towards council house refurbishments next year, including new kitchens and bathrooms, while £1.2 million will be spent on building new council homes.

Mr Williams said: "Our budget proposals show the council's clear commitment to planning for and investing in the future and boosting our economy.

"It is only right that the majority of New Homes Bonus - money we receive to new housing development - should be spent on growth, development and investment schemes, but, importantly, improving infrastructure such as major transport schemes and the vital major flood scheme.

"We are also planning to invest heavily in improving our own housing stock and committing to building more new homes for our community."

The final vote on the budget proposals will be at full council on February 23.

Officers have had to balance the books despite the Deane's core funding decreasing by 37 per cent over the past three years, a pending drop in income from business rates and pension costs going up by £450,000.

As well as increasing some fees, the authority is looking at making £123,000 savings, including axing £10,000 for Christmas lights in Wellington and Wiveliscombe, cutting grants and reducing the frequency of emptying dog waste bins.

It also plans to use £533,000 from funds set aside to cover fluctuations in business rates income.