BAND 'D' council taxpayers in the Test Valley will be paying an extra 77p a week when this year's bills drop through letterboxes next month.

And the average Band D taxpayer is likely to be coughing up an extra £40.59 pence this year, bringing the total bill to £1,134.81p. However, parish levies have to be added to this figure. This will go towards the cost of providing policing, fire-fighting, road improvements and repairs and refuse collections countywide.

Borough Band D residents will pay £99 for Test Valley's share of the total bill. This works out at an increase of 4.86 per cent or £4.59 a year.

Borough finance chief Rob Carr said council taxpayers would be getting good value for their cash from the services provided by the Test Valley.

"I think it's good value considering the government has withdrawn £106,000 for the Neighbourhood Warden Scheme and we've got to pick up the loss to make sure it continues. The council tax would have been even lower. Given what we've had to cope with this year, we've done well," said Mr Carr.

The borough has also had to include the collection of stray dogs at night - a role previously carried out by Hampshire Police - in its budget this year and this will cost an estimated £11,000.

Borough purse string holders have put aside £20,000 in order to respond to major emergencies, following a government directive to local authorities.

The council has set a £10.3million budget to cover all its requirements for the coming financial year.

Hampshire County Council is asking for its lowest-ever council tax rise - 3.5 percent - since the last local government reorganisation in 1974. This equates to £869.40p for a Band D property.

Hampshire's leader, Ken Thornber, said: " I am delighted to announce that we will be setting our lowest council tax rise for 30 years. Research amongst residents has consistently shown that people want us to budget prudently and while they do not want to see high council tax rises they do not wish to see cuts in essential services either - this year's our budget meets these expectations."

And Hampshire Police Authority is demanding £114.30p for the same band. The 5.48 per cent increase is above the amount recommended by local government minister Nick Raynsford. The police authority could be penalised by the government as a result. Mr Raynsford has threatened to cap any authority that increases bills by more than 5 per cent.

The police authority's financial affairs panel chairman Adrian Collett said: "We continue to be as financially efficient as we can in order to make absolutely sure that we are not forced to reduce the number of frontline officers. Given the financial climate for police authorities, our prime concern is to protect the level of policing."

Band D payers will be paying an extra penny a week to the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service.

The annual charge will be £52.11p. The county's fire service has a budget of £60 million to provide cover and fire safety campaigns.

Director of the brigade's corporate services David Howells said: "We are pleased that as we move forward to achieve our objectives we are able to keep the cost as low as possible, whilst ensuring that we meet our aim to make Hampshire safer."