£60 on your Council Tax to pay for election bribe?

5.14.08pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 28th Feb 2005

Hampshire Conservatives have been accused of squirrelling away millions of pounds of taxpayers money to pay for a pre-election tax bribe.

Council Tax bills from the County Council soared by 15% two years ago but now - in an election year - the planned rise is 3.5%.

Liberal Democrats say this has been funded by an increase of around £30million in Council 'reserves' over the last three years.

The Conservatives increased our Council Tax so they could put millions in the bank to pay for a lower tax increase in election year.

The increase in reserves equates to around £60 on the average Council Tax bill - we are having to pay for the con trick with our own money!

And the rise could have been lower.

Liberal Democrats say the County could have afforded an increase of no more than the rate of inflation - just 2.5%.