That equates to £12.37 extra a year – or a little over 23p a week for the average Band D property.

Homes in areas with parish or town councils, including More-cambe, will pay a little extra.

Nearly three-quarters of the bill goes to Lancashire County Council, which chose to freeze its council tax precept and plans £24million in savings.

As the Lancaster Guardian went to press, Lancaster City Council, which receives 13 per cent of the bill, was set to confirm a 3.75 per cent precept increase, including £472,000 in savings.

Lancashire Police Authority and Lancashire Fire Authority imposed rises of 2.95 per cent and 1.99 per cent respectively.

City council cuts include the closure of seven public toilets unless parish councils step in to take over their running and find half the costs. Residents and binmen will no longer have to separate recyclable materials, saving time and money, with some refuse jobs being left vacant when staff leave to help save £245,000.

The first phase of a staff restructuring will save £379,000.
The council hopes to avoid compulsory redundancies where possible. Two savings agreed last year were also due to take effect barring any dramatic last-minute interventions at the budget meeting taking place as the Lancaster Guardian went to press.

The Morecambe Dome will close, saving £82,300 a year.

And the Dukes Theatre in Lancaster will have £20,000 cut from its council grant.