A COUNCIL tax increase three times the inflation rate has been confirmed by Durham County Council.

But householders can take some comfort despite having to pay 9.17 per cent more for services such as education, social work and waste disposal - the rise could be the fourth lowest of the 34 shire counties in England and Wales.

Northumberland and North Yorkshire are asking for an extra 12.8 per cent and 11.5 per cent respectively. In Hertfordshire the rise is 18.7 per cent, in Suffolk 18.5 per cent and in Devon it is 18 per cent.

The total people will pay - and the overall council tax increase - will not be known until the district and parish councils and police authority finalise their spending plans.

The increase means that the Labour-run county council's share of council tax has risen by 42.5 per cent since 1998, its first budget under the Labour Government.

The council rejected a Liberal Democrat call to restrict the increase to 8.73 per cent by finding further efficiency savings and taking a tougher line on staff absence.

The council was disappointed the Government's revision of the grant funding formula gave a larger increase to the Midlands than the North-East.

Lobbying for a better settlement, particularly in social services, resulted in a £200,000 cut in the final grants total.

Independent councillor John Shuttleworth said the Government favoured middle England over its heartland.

Tory leader Josephine Fergus said the council tax increase was a stealth tax.

The council's budget is rising from just over £429 to almost £465.3m.

Council leader Ken Manton said the council was focusing on priorities including improving GCSE results, providing more care home places to avoid fines for hospital bed blocking, tackling truancy and paying increased fees to private care providers.