The rises in Kent are lower than many in the South East

The most expensive place to live is Shepway, where the bill for an average band D property is now �1,122.

Maidstone trails Shepway by only �1, with the bill totalling �1,121 for a band D property.

Medway is now the only place in the county where the bill for a Band D property falls below �1,000.

'Mission impossible' demanded

Kent County Council claims the increase is the result of a shift in government funding away from the South East to authorities in the North and Midlands.

Its 12.5% rise, one of the lowest in the South East, will be achieved in part by cutting 300 central administration jobs at the council.

Setting the budget, Conservative council leader Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart said the council had been asked to perform "mission impossible".

Elderly and vulnerable

The government had said spending on education and the elderly and vulnerable must rise by 6.1% and 8.9% respectively but had given the council only a 3.8% increase, he said.

Medway Council, a hung authority, approved a budget increase of 10.9% last month.

This was also one of the lowest increases in the region and gives the council a budget of �265.527m for 2003/2004.

Councillors agreed to dip into the authority's reserves for an extra �4.5m to spend on education.