A COUNCIL tax rise of 2.5 per cent from April has been voted through by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

A meeting of the full borough council agreed a budget for 2005-2006 that includes the 2.5 per cent increase proposed by the ruling Liberal Democrat/ Labour administration.

The decision means the overall council tax bill for borough residents is likely to go up by about 3.4 per cent once the levies from Hampshire County Council, Hampshire Police Authority and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority are included.

Tomorrow night, the borough's Cabinet will confirm what it has to collect on behalf of all the charging authorities.

If the figures go through, a band D property in the urban part of Basingstoke will be charged £1,127.36 - compared with £1.089.95 in 2004-2005.

Residents in areas covered by parish councils will have to pay an extra precept.

Councillor Brian Gurden, Liberal Democrat leader of the borough council, said the £13.9million revenue budget and the relatively low council tax increase were down to the administration's careful approach and more cash than expected from central Government.

He said of the tax increase: "This represents extraordinarily good value compared with the other parts of Hampshire.

"Yet again, I am confident the borough will have the lowest council tax of all Hampshire districts while still continuing to deliver and even improve our excellent services."

He said that going out and asking members of the public what they wanted had revealed that the council had the thumbs-up from local residents on its budget priorities.

Deputy council leader Cllr George Hood (Labour) criticised the Conservatives for not having taken part in the budget consultation properly.

He said the budget showed "clarity and purpose" and the council had been highly praised by central Government.

In response, Conservative group leader Cllr John Leek said the budget might balance, but it was not fair to all residents - especially in rural areas.

He added it was no surprise that the Labour Government, in an election year, had suddenly found additional funds for local government.

He also noted that council staff costs and numbers had again gone up, and said the administration claimed it would rake in cash from selling off land, but had yet to complete the sales of two key sites.

He said: "I wish the administration every success in their creative endeavours, but I remain sceptical."

Cllr Martin Biermann, Independent group co-ordinator, said: "There is some good and some bad in this."

He added that he hoped more of the points he raised last year would be tackled, including improving the borough's cycleways and recycling facilities.