Local services will remain under pressure following the announcement of the Government's grants to local authorities.

Winchester MP, Mark Oaten, said yesterday that tough choices would have to be made. "Both county and district councils have been concerned that the level of funding from central Government will cause cuts in services and high council taxes. These fears could now come true after the spending announcement.

"Whilst there will be a basic level of grant similar to last year, the devil is in the detail. With ever-increasing pressures on social services budgets and other services, it will be hard to meet demand

"Tough choices will have to be made on servicesor council tax payers will face increases."

Either way, the Government would be in part to blame for not recognising the very real pressures Hampshire faced, the MP said.

Only 48 hours before the Government was set to reveal how much it would give local authorities, Hampshire was still fighting for a fair deal.

Cabinet member, Michael Woodhall, handed in a petition at the office of Deputy PM, John Prescott. It was the culmination of a month-long campaign.

This was launched in response to Government plans to change its formula for calculating grant, to redistribute money from the South to urban authorities in the North and Midlands.

Council leader, Ken Thornber, said: "If the North needs more, it should be found from national taxes, not from the pockets of council taxpayers in Hampshire and other counties.

"The support that pensioners and others on low incomes depend on to have a decent quality of life is no less than in the North, so why should they have to pay more for that support just because of where they live?"