Shepway council has been cutting services to lower tax rises

It has already put an end to grass verge cutting, which was costing council taxpayers �50,000 a year.

The service cuts are to meet government demands that council tax rises for the coming year remain in single figures.

Shepway, which had planned for a rise of 28.9%, is waiting to see if local government minister Nick Raynsford will cap increases on Thursday.

Earlier this month the Conservative leader and MP for Folkestone and Hythe, Michael Howard, presented a 10,000-signature petition to Shepway councillors in a fight to keep the public toilets open.

And a local businessman even offered to buy the toilets to prevent them being closed.

Earlier plans were to close 26 toilets across towns including Folkestone, Hythe, New Romney and Dymchurch.

Capped councils to be named

The council has now agreed to keep one toilet open permanently in the new Coastal Park.

Eight others, in seaside locations, are to stay open until the end of the summer.

Although Kent County Council pays for two grass cuts a year, Shepway has topped that up with additional cutting of up to 18 trims a year.

But this has cost Shepway council tax payers an estimated �50,000 a year - a subsidy it decided to permanently trim to contribute to a lower tax rise.

In March Shepway council reset its budget after the government told it to cut its original council tax increase.

A rise of 28.9% was agreed for the coming year - 10% below the figure put forward by councillors in February.