Public toilets across Shepway will close to make savings

The new rise of 28.9% for the coming year, which was set on Thursday night, is 10% below the figure put forward by councillors in February.

Almost �700,000 in cuts have been proposed to meet the saving.

However, the council could still be capped by the government, who have demanded a single figure rise from councils this year.

It's very small money that we're talking about Linda Cufley, leader of Shepway District Council

The figure has to be approved by local government minister Nick Raynsford, but council leader Linda Cufley said she was hopeful he would look at the council's case individually.

She said although 39% sounded like a huge amount, it had only worked out at an extra �1.20 a week.

She said the council had "gone through a lot of pain" to get to the figure of 28.9%, which reduced the weekly amount to just under �1.

"It's very small money that we're talking about," she told BBC Radio Kent.

Job losses

She explained that the public would want to retain the services given that the total increase for taxpayers would only be about �50 a year.

The cut in the planned council tax hike of 39% means the tourism department will be axed, grass verges will only be mown twice a year, and all the public toilets will be closed.

Ms Cufley said about 10 jobs would also have to go, but that figure could rise to about 50 or 60 positions if the council tax was capped to single figures.

A rise of under 10% would also mean other serious repercussions, including the provision of CCTV and the subsidies given to sport within the district.

Shepway District Council said it was preparing to send out its council tax bills despite the uncertainty over whether its figure of 28.9% would be capped.