County councillors have approved a budget that will see council tax bills rise by just under 4% and includes cuts of £80m.

Kent County Council says the inflation-busting council tax rise - the highest for the authority in several years - is needed to help balance the books in the face of continuing cuts in government grants.

However, there was controversy before the meeting got underway as it was claimed that protesters were being turned away from the council chamber to listen to the debate.

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Cllr Andrew Bowles (Con) raised the matter at the meeting saying he was surprised that the public gallery was empty given the large number of protesters.

A number of security guards were stationed at the council's HQ in Maidstone.

On the financial side, there was a sliver of better news for the council, which has been told by the government just yesterday that it will receive an extra £5.7m for 2016-17.

VIDEO REPORT: Protesters chant outside County Hall against council budget cuts. Ben Kennedy reports

KCC Conservative leader Cllr Paul Carter said: “This made a very difficult settlement slightly more bearable, but still exceedingly challenging. We still need to make tough decisions to continue delivering balanced budgets over the coming years.”

“These budget cuts driven by a Tory government will have an adverse effect on much needed essential services such as schools and libraries” - Unite branch secretary Eric Segal

The council is planning to use new powers to add a further two per cent to average bills to help cover the spiralling costs of and demand for care for the elderly and vulnerable.

The budget squeeze will also see the price of KCC’s Young Person’s Travel Pass increase - but by an unidentified amount. It currently costs £250.

Cllr Carter insisted that the spending plans had spared frontline services this year but that the challenge of balancing the books next year represented a "massive challenge."

He said the authority had calculated it would need to save £160m next year - twice the level of this year."We are staring down the barrel of a gun."

Opposition Ukip leader Roger Latchford said KCC needed to examine every area of the council's spending.He criticised the 4% hike, saying it was "morally wrong for the government to pass on the extra costs of care to residents who are struggling to manage."

Liberal Democrats pushed for some of the £5.7m announced by the government at the eleventh hour should be spent on boosting the public health budget.

VIDEO: KCC leader Paul Carter reacts to approval of budget cuts

"Cuts to public health spending are NHS cuts by the back door," said Cllr Rob Bird.

Members of the Unite union demonstrated to demand “an immediate reversal” of continuing government cuts to council budgets.

Unite branch secretary Eric Segal said: “These budget cuts driven by a Tory government will have an adverse effect on much needed essential services such as schools and libraries.”

There were also be protests over the closure of Pent Valley School in Folkestone, with parents and others calling for a rethink.

And campaigners opposed to the planned closure of Dorothy Lines day care centre also staged their own protest.

KCC says it has no alternative to increase the council tax and says the outlook in future years is just as bleak.

The council’s most significant pressures include an extra £31 million to cover additional demand and increased costs for adult social care.

A further £12 million is needed to meet the additional demand for services such as waste disposal and special education needs transport.

KCC also has additional costs of £13 million as a result of changes in government legislation, such as increases in employer’s National Insurance contributions and the impact of the National Living.