MEDWAY councillors have decided to withdraw from the South East Regional Assembly (SEERA) - to save £22,000 next year.

Speaking at a council meeting on Thursday former deputy mayor, Cllr Tony Goulden (Lab), questioned the sense of the decision.

He said it removed Cllr Rodney Chambers, the council leader and chairman of the Medway Renaissance Partnership, from having any influence over SEERA.

The announcement came ahead of Monday night's public meeting in the Hundred of Hoo School (7pm) when the public will be told there is a SEERA plan to approve massive new housebuilding proposals across the Hoo peninsula.

"I believe it would be extremely dangerous to withdraw from that body," said Cllr Goulden.

But Cllr Chambers said it was an unliked, unelected body which was not thought well of in the region.

"We are seen as the dumping ground to keep the plush parts of Bucks, Berks and Surrey," he insisted.

Taxpayers in Medway also face an average of 93p a week more on council tax bills from April after councillors agreed a 5.7 per cent rise in defiance of Government targets at the meeting.

Originally it was expected that they would opt for a 5.99 per cent rise, but the councillor's "chancellor", Cllr. Alan Jarrett (Con) said they had found further savings.

No services are to be cut - unless the Government does cap the council for breaking its five per cent target.

Among improvements to be paid for from the new tax are more yellow buses, 60,000 blue bags to increase household recycling, extra social workers and a clamp down on litter louts with a new team of enforcement officers.

Cllr Jarrett, the council's finance portfolio holder, agreed to look at a proposal from his Labour shadow, Cllr Glyn Griffiths, to provide cut-price buses and access to sports and leisure centres for 10 to 17-year-olds every Friday night, at weekends and bank holidays.

Cllr Griffiths lambasted the Conservative administration for its failure to uphold previous promises to crack down on troublemakers in the community.

FULL STORY IN MONDAY'S MEDWAY MESSENGER.