AVERAGE council taxpayers in Fareham could face an increase of about £70 on their bills in the coming year.

Fareham Council leader Sean Woodward has hit out at Whitehall "scrooges" - who announced increases in funding for councils - despite a £400,000 boost for Fareham.

Councillor Woodward says the increase is still too low because of new responsibilities such as crime and disorder partnerships, community strategies and drinks licensing.

He believes one better year has been sandwiched between two years of lesser funding to impress voters in an election year.

Fareham received a 7.8 per cent rise to £5.1m and residents can expect a possible rise in the Fareham portion of council tax bills of between five and six per cent.

Early estimates suggest Hampshire County Council, which received a rise of 4.9 per cent to nearly £685m, will increase its share of the council tax bill by 6.5 per cent.

Increases by Hampshire Police Authority and Hampshire Fire and Rescue, which are also yet to be set, make up the rest of the bill.

For a Band D household in Fareham that would mean an overall rise of £70 - or the threat of cuts to vital services.

Cllr Woodward said: "On the face of it, it looks like good news for us this year. It is nice to have an increase for one year, but unfortunately years around it are not good news for us.

"When you do the figures over three years, we've lost £1m and got around £400,000 back.

"There are significant spending pressures and new responsibilities and little money available to help us.

"Fareham is one of very few councils which actually get less than half of their money through the government. That puts a large burden on the council tax payer."

Band D householders in Fareham saw increases of £61.02 or 5.75 per cent to £1,123.01 this year.

Fareham Council's share of the figure was £123.20, Hampshire County Council's portion £840.15, Hampshire Police Authority, £108.36, and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service £51.30.

Complex calculations for Government funding are based on a formula that takes people in the area's needs into account.

A cap placed on increases for Fareham and many other councils across the south has been removed for one year.

But Fareham lost £625,000 in funding last year and expects that figure to be a loss of around £368,000 next year.

The funding usually makes up around three quarters of the money available to councils with the remainder coming from council tax.