COUNCIL tax in Harrow will be frozen for the next three year if David Cameron’s Tory party takes power and fulfills an election pledge, it has been announced.

The Tory administration has announced its intention for a zero per cent increase in council tax in Harrow next year, and the same again in 2011/12 and 2012/13 provided the national Conservatives live up to the pledge to reimburse low council tax increases.

Council David Ashton, leader of the council, set out the strategy yesterday, which he said was intended to help reduce the burden on Harrow residents while continuing to provide good services.

He said: “This is a sensible and prudent budget, and we thought if we could keep the tax increase to zero then we would do that.

“We know that money is tight at the moment but we are spending council tax money wisely and are focused on helping to make residents' lives better.”

The council tax freeze will, however, only be possible if the Conservatives win the next General Election, in May next year, and live up to the pledge in their manifesto.

It reads: “In the first two years of a Conservative government, councils will also have the ability to contract with central government to freeze council tax.

“Those councils who take up the contract will have to undertake to hold the rate of rise in council tax to 2.5 per cent or less; and central government will correspondingly undertake to make a payment equal to 2.5 per cent of that council’s council tax – so that bills can be frozen in each such council for the two year period.”

This budget comes as Harrow Council considers radical plans to change the way it delivers services in the future.

It is facing the prospect of making more than £18m in savings to its budget between 2011 and 2013, and is creating a transformation plan to deal with the budget cuts.

It is understood council chiefs are looking at sharing buildings, departments, budgets and policies with other public bodies and the voluntary sector in Harrow to make the most of money coming into the borough.