AN APPEAL has been made to spare the people of County Durham a second successive large hike in council tax.

County council chiefs are bracing themselves for an increase following the recent announcement of the Government's financial settlement to the authority.

Durham fared well in some areas, including the grant aid to the fire service, but there is anger over the 'incomprehensible' low sum for social services.

A shortfall in social services funding was a major factor in the 14.8 per cent increase in council tax in the current financial year, among the highest in the country.

The Government's settlement towards the cost of social services in 2003/4 is almost £113.5m, a 4.6 per cent increase compared to the county council average of 8.5 per cent.

Council leader Ken Manton said it left him bemused. He plans to lobby MPs for the county at a meeting before the settlement figure is finalised.

He said: "Bearing in mind the acute pressures on social services which we had to contend with in recent years, and no prospect of them getting any better, I find this quite incomprehensible."

Without reserves to tap into, the council will be faced with raising the shortfall from council tax payers' pockets. Taxpayers in Sedgefield Borough pay the county council dues. Darlington has set its own tax since gaining unitary status in 1997.

Coun Manton, who reperesents Sedgefield, added: "It means there are some tough decisions to make in looking at our budget for next year."

Social services cabinet member Christine Smith said: "Given the high levels of poor health, deprivation and need we have in County Durham, the settlement we've been given for social services next year is totally inadequate."

Opposition Liberal Democrat leader Nigel Martin urged the council to avoid another large rise.

He said: "We can't present the council tax payers we represent with an increase that is exceedingly large.

"The Government is expecting council tax to go up six per cent or more and we have got to look very carefully at what we are going to do.

"We can't go to the people in this county and say 'you have to pay another ten or 12 per cent'. We simply can't go on asking local tax payers to keep paying more and more."

The final figure will be set by the council in late February.