Council tax in Croydon is to be frozen next year, it was announced tonight.

In a speech at the full council meeting, Croydon Council leader Tony Newman said the new Labour administration had inherited a £100m budget black hole but would honour their election pledge not to hike the tax.

He said: "Not only have we avoided a financial crisis that was threatening to engulf the council but we have set the council on a course of long-term stability.

"Tonight I'm delighted to confirm that next year there will be no increase in council tax.

"Council tax, unlike the weather, will be frozen."

The opposition leader Councillor Tim Pollard pointed out council tax would be slightly higher in 2015/16 than this year, when some households were given a £25 rebate by the previous Conservative administration.

And he said: "He [Coun Newman] wants to distract attention from the large barrage of cuts that the people of Croydon will still probably have to endure in a few months time."

The council is set to lay out its budget proposals in the next cabinet meeting.