The council has to set its tax level on Friday 27 February

The council executive was told to rethink the budget and come back in a week's time with an increase of 6.9%.

The decision reached at a meeting on Tuesday, would add an extra �1 a week to council tax bills.

Three proposals were discussed and rejected before the 6.9% proposal was accepted.

BBC South West political editor Chris Rogers said: "There was always a possibility that the full council would decide 9% was just too expensive for council tax payers in Cornwall, so many of whom are on low incomes.

"So the executive was countered by suggestions by party political groups."

Labour put forward a 5% increase proposal, which was voted out.

The Conservatives put forward a 5.9% increase proposal, which was also rejected.

All these... will have an effect on the council tax John Lobb, Cornwall County Council

One group of independent councillors suggested a 6.9% increase with a very highly detailed budget to go with it.

The council was split on this by 34 votes to 34 votes.

Another 6.9% proposal was put forward by independent councillor Jim Philp from the Lanreath ward with no strict budget plans to go with it.

The council agreed on Mr Philp's proposal.

Effect on services

Chris Rogers said: "What they effectively said to the executive by accepting this proposal was 'We don't like 9%. Go back, think again, then come back next week and tell us what you think that budget should be'."

The leader of Cornwall County Council, John Lobb, said: "We will obviously consider all aspects of the implications of those recommendations, and there are significant implications of the effect on services.

"We began the day in making our recommendations of 9% saying that we had reduced the budgetary growth items from �17m to �6.7m.

"That meant we had to make some difficult decisions in a number of areas, such as children's services, community care and firefighters' pay awards."

Pensioners' demonstration

The council executive now has to recalculate its budget.

John Lobb, said: "All these add up to things that will have an effect on the council tax.

"We've now got to make a further recommendations on Friday 27 February."

In Devon, banner-waving pensioners demonstrated outside Devon County Council's headquarters on Tuesday at a 5.25% council tax increase.