CONSERVATIVES have confirmed their pledge that Derby residents will see a freeze in their council tax next year.

But the deal cannot be guaranteed for two years, as they promised before the election on May 6.

The city's Tories said that if there was a Conservative Government and a Conservative-led council, they would not raise the tax for two years.

Councillor Harvey Jennings, leader of the council, said he had spoken to Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, to see if that agreement would be honoured under the new coalition government.

He said: "We have been guaranteed that the council tax can be frozen next year and we are going to work very hard to make that for two years but that will have to be reviewed by the Government."