COUNTY Hall leaders say they are aiming for a single figure increase in council tax bills next year.

The pledge came after the Government announced how much money local authorities would get to spend on services in 2004-2005.

Kent County Council’s grant from the Government has risen by just under one per cent to 4.8 per cent compared to last year’s 3.9 per cent. That translates as a cash increase of some £38million.

Kent County Council leader Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart (Con) said: “We would like to keep any increase to about six or seven per cent but it is increasingly difficult to keep cutting overheads.”

A lower teacher’s pay award of 2.5 per cent was one reason why the council had greater opportunity to keep any increase to a more modest level than previous years, he added.

However, he pointed out that Kent’s grant increase was the fourth lowest of the 34 shire counties and that it had been told by Government to increase spending on education by five per cent and by six per cent in social services – leaving little room for manoeuvre.

It also faces increased costs on the capital funding front – money spent on new building work, for instance, in schools.

Average county council bills for householders in Band D homes this year are £852. A seven per cent increase would see bills rise by about £60.

Local Government minister Nick Raynsford said the grant settlement would allow services to improve while keeping council tax bills to a reasonable level.

“We do have targeted capping powers and we are prepared to use them. But with this settlement there really should be no need for excessive increases,” he told MPs.

Opposition Labour group leader Cllr Mike Eddy said the extra funding would help Kent improve run down services and bring them up to an acceptable level.