CONSERVATIVES say they are horrified at a proposed 8.4 per cent council tax increase in Darlington.

The proposed hike in tax, agreed at a cabinet meeting last week, would see the bill for Band A properties increase from £614.82 to £666.46 and on a Band H property the amount would increase from £1,844.46 to £1,999.39 a year.

Coun Charles Johnson, resource spokesman for the Conservatives, said: "We will be opposing this. It's just too high. We need to have a look at the details at our scrutiny meeting today, but this will hit the people with fixed incomes, who are vulnerable."

Conservative Coun Jim Ruck said: "I'm horrified at this proposal. There are many people on fixed incomes, pensioners especially, who live in larger houses they have paid for all their lives, and this will be damaging.

"I have received a lot of letters from people concerned about this. The old excuse that this is still one of the lowest ratings in the country just isn't good enough now. This is an increase of 30-odd per cent over three years, and it's unacceptable."

Members of Darlington Borough Council's cabinet agreed the proposed increase, as well as plans for on-street parking charges.

Final decisions on both issues will be taken by full council at the beginning of March.

Council leader John Williams said a campaign should be mounted to encourage people who can claim council tax benefit to do so.

A proposal to abolish council tax discount for long-term empty properties and to reduce discount from 50pc to ten per cent for second homes was also approved by the cabinet.

Coun Don Bristow, cabinet member for resource management, said: "We do have 1,000 empty properties which are going to waste. Removing discount would be an incentive to owners to bring them back into use." The on-street car parking scheme, which would see motorists pay £1-an-hour to park on town centre roads which currently have waiting restrictions, was recommended for approval by Coun Nick Wallis, cabinet member for transport.

He said: "It is in my opinion an anomaly that free on-street car parking spaces sit cheek by jowl with paid off-street parking spaces."

The cabinet also approved:

* The release of capital funding for a new primary school in Skerne Park.

* A proposal to begin looking for a Darlington school to transform into a hub of the community with a £168,480 Government grant.

* A plan to monitor CCTV in Bishop Auckland and Crook on behalf of Wear Valley District Council.

* The writing-off of council tenant arrears of £98,299.

* A grant to the Springfield Centre to carry out a survey on whether residents want a community centre.