VILLAGERS in Fair Oak and Horton Heath, hit by one of the biggest council tax rises anywhere in the country earlier this year, face a more moderate increase next April.

Parish councillors have agreed to set a precept demand for 2005/06 of £223,759, which will increase the average Band D bill from £61.62 to £63.02.

Earlier this year taxpayers were hit with a thumping 49.6 per cent increase that saw their bills soar from £41.18 to £61.62 for services provided by the village authority - a move which appeared to split the parish despite it costing each householder less than 50p a week extra.

Some residents said they were appalled at the "staggering" increase while others claimed they were happy to pay for facilities that would benefit everyone - as long as the money was spent wisely. The cost of burials and work on a new recreation area were given as reasons for the increase, with the prospect of the parish council being gifted 35 acres of land at White Tree Farm in Botley Road. The council budgeted to put around £50,000 aside for initial work, staffing and equipment for the site, destined to provide a new cemetery and land for walking and picnicking.

Parish clerk Cheryl Gosling said it was now expected that the site would be handed over in 2005 and this year the council had budgeted for additional staffing and running costs.

The council also had to find £33,000 to resurface a play area in New Century Park at Fair Oak to meet new safety regulations.