COUNCIL tax rises have been pegged at less than £1 a week for thousands of Wear Valley families.

Services have already been trimmed by the local authority, which aroused a storm of opposition by scrapping a residential warden service for the elderly, and cutting services at its flagship leisure centre.

Now the council has settled on a four per cent increase in its share of the council tax, which means that Band D payers will be charged £943.36p, an extra £38.88p a year.

This means that the Wear Valley precept - the amount collected from residents - is £8,575,305.

Durham County Council collects £13,108,910 in the district, Durham Police Authority £1,026,128 and five parish councils between £2,433 and £10,495 each.

Band A tax payers will be charged £628.91p a year; Band B, £733.72p; Band C, £838.54p; Band D, £943 36; Band E, £1,153; Band F, £1,362.63; Band G, £157.27p; Band H, £1,886.72p.

Council house rents are going up by £1.67p a week with an extra 20p for garage rents.

In return, there will be improvements to scores of council properties thanks to a Government major repairs allowance of £2.8m.

Tenants have had to wait for repairs, including new windows and doors, because money allocated in last year's budget had to be spent clearing up flood damage.

Demolition of empty homes at St Helen Auckland is going ahead.

The council's deputy leader, Neil Stonehouse, said: "We have less capital allocation for housing, but a large increase in money for repairs.

"For major projects we will have to rely on bids to the National Lottery and other organisations, which is difficult because we have to put complicated bids together with limited staff resources.

"But we do well for our size and at least the problems we have in Wear Valley have been recognised."

"It is quite an exciting time because we have Single Regeneration Budget projects on the go, along with neighbourhood renewal initiatives," said Councillor Stonehouse.