CASH-STRAPPED Durham County Council is to spend more than £170,000 to provide councillors with computers in their homes.

All 61 members of the Labour-run authority will be offered a computer with email, Intranet and Internet access, plus a desk and chair and combined fax machine, printer and scanner.

The council estimates that the scheme will cost £174,175 to set up and £104,635 a year to run.

The proposal follows a 14.8 per cent increase in the portion - the largest part - of the council tax bill that goes to County Hall.

Some councillors are worried how they will justify the scheme to irate voters, but others say that the council has to keep up with the communications revolution.

The Government is pressing councils across the country to embrace new technology.

Only last year, the council attracted protests after announcing plans to close 16 of its 25 residential homes rather than upgrade them at a cost of £60m.

While it will provide six extra-care units for the elderly, the closure plans affect 500 residents and will result in 290 job losses.

Councillors already have computers in their offices at County Hall, but the authority believes the extra computers will enable them to work effectively and efficiently from home - particularly important for members who also have jobs - and reduce the tonnes of paper used each year.

Alan Fenwick, Labour councillor for Dawdon, told the council's cabinet: "I think I need one (a computer) and I want one, but how am I going to explain to people why we are spending this when we have put the council tax up by 14.8 per cent. I think the expenditure for this is way out of order."

Liberal Democrat leader Councillor Nigel Martin said: "We have to say to the public that it is in their interests in order for members to represent them effectively. I find it more effective to communicate with officers and get information by electronic means."

Cabinet member Councillor Christine Smith said: "We are encouraging the public to be more computer-literate and we need to be able to converse with the public ourselves electronically. It helps make local government more accessible.