A council will today approve one of the highest council tax increases it has levied.

The Labour-run Durham County Council's cabinet will be asked to choose rises of 12.5 per cent, 14.8 per cent or 17.6 per cent.

This would increase the council's share - by far the biggest amount - of council tax bills by between £60 and £84 for people in Band A properties. On top of that, tax payers will have to pay money to district and parish councils and the county's police force.

The rocketing cost of social services, particularly services for the elderly and children, and a poor financial settlement from the Government has set the scene for the hike.

Despite their warnings of service cuts, the council's chief executive Kingsley Smith and Labour leader Ken Manton pressed ministers in vain for more funding.

Independent councillor for Weardale, John Shuttleworth, said: "You can't blame the council. The Government has given it a bad settlement.

"It couldn't give a damn about people up here.''

Tomorrow, Durham Police Authority will consider approving a "standstill'' budget that would push its share of council tax bills up by 17.7 per cent.

A 12.1 per cent increase could be levied, but only if the authority uses more than £500,000 from its pensions reserve.