by business editor Trevor Sturgess

Kent bosses have given yesterday's "kill or cure" emergency budget nine out of 10.

Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne announced a raft of welfare cuts, public sector pay freezes and tax increases.

It was tempered by a reduction in some business taxes and help for the low-paid, in an effort to slash the country's massive debt burden.

While the Labour opposition, trade union officials and public sector workers voiced concern, business generally welcomed the overall strategy.

David Philpott, chairman of Kent Institute of Directors, said it was good news for the county's businesses because it showed that the coalition government was serious about tackling the deficit.

"It also sends a clear message to the stock market and the banks - namely that it is the private sector that will lead us out of recession and not increased public spending," he said.

"The freeze on public sector pay and the slashing of most departmental budgets by 25 per cent shows a steely determination to get Britain moving again, as we try as a nation to live within our means."

Mr Philpott said he was disappointed that infrastructure spending would be halved over the next three years, on balance he thought it an excellent budget "and more than we could realistically hoped for. I give it 9 out of 10."

Jonathan Neame, chief executive of Shepherd Neame, the 300-year old Faversham brewery, said the decision by Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne to leave beer duty unchanged was a cause for modest celebration.

However, the duty escalator was still in place and that would raise the tax by two per cent above inflation every year until 2014-2015.

And the Vat increase from 17.5 per cent to 20 per cent in January would also raise pub prices for consumers.

He welcomed the announcement that there would be a review of alcohol pricing with the aim of tackling binge drinking.

"Even the most extreme in the alcohol debate would not think that cask beer causes binge drinking," he said.

The government had also said it did not wish to damage regional manufacturing and responsible drinking.

"I read this as saying they want to be more friendly to beer, pubs and traditional brewers than the last government so I remain optimistic."

Mike Lazenby, chief executive of Kent Reliance Building Society, said the Budget would cause a lot of pain without much gain.

Although his society would escape the proposed banking levy - imposed on financial institutions with assets of more than £20billion (Kent Reliance has £2.3bn), the Vat hike would raise costs because Kent Reliance could not reclaimed the tax.

"It's a painful budget and it's going to be painful for a lot of people," he said.

"We're going to have a long period of austerity because the Chancellor is going out to over-achieve on his objectives."

Roger House, chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses Kent and Medway, which has 6,700 members in the county, said: "The measures will go a long way to reducing the deficit and will please the 93 per cent of FSB members who called for a clear plan on tackling the country's debt."

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