THE average west Wiltshire household will pay almost £50 more in council tax next year after the figures were finalised on Wednesday night.

West Wiltshire District Council, the last authority to set its levy, voted for a 4.5 per cent increase, taking the overall bill to £1,212.75 for a Band D household.

This represents a rise of £48.26 on the 2004/05 average of £1,164.49, but this time last year some households faced an increase of up to £90.

The district council's share of the bill will be £127.88 and

finance portfolio holder Roy While said the budget had not been easy to set.

He said: "We are all aware of

the pressures we have been faced with but these are successfully being tackled through our on-going reviews of expenditure and income.

"This is not a budget about cuts it's about priorities and redistribution, as well as living within our means."

The authority has set its 2005/06 expenditure at £12.3m and has identified £712,000 of savings.

These include increasing daily car parking charges by almost

100 per cent and handing over Tourist Information Centres to town councils.

Cllr While said: "Our recommended increase of 4.5 per cent would have been lower if not for the continued holding back of the Government grant, which is £554,000 for the coming year.

"In this sense we are the

third most deprived council in the country."

Liberal Democrat group leader Bob Brice said the controlling Conservative group was now aware of the financial difficulties the council faced.

He said: "Once again we have an above inflation increase similar to the one we would have recommended.

"We trust you'll not be continuing to blame us for it in your forthcoming election material.

"We note there has been a large increase in car parking charges.

"We are still looking forward to more free car parking."

Currently the Government gives councils annual grants, which can make it difficult for finance officers to plan ahead.

Cllr While said: "This work could be eased if the Government were to fix three-year grant settlements.

"A consultation paper is out and certainly I shall be praying for a three year realistic grant settlement."

l The district council budget identifies £35,000 savings it will make by handing over its TICs by September. It calculates this figure will rise to almost £100,000 in future years

The authority is asking town councils to follow Bradford on Avon's example by running the service themselves and needs their response by April 1.

So far Trowbridge Town Council has agreed to this while Melksham, Westbury and Warminster are still considering their options.

The cuts have proved unpopular in many quarters and in Warminster members fear the district council will sell the building that houses the TIC, Citizens' Advice Bureau and Shopmobility.

The budget also confirms a rise in car parking charges across the district that will see daily fees almost double from April 1.

The council says the increases are long overdue, but business leaders fear they could drive trade away, with Trowbridge likely to be the hardest hit.

The price hikes are expected to net the council £170,000 in extra revenue next year and pave the way for daily charges to hit £5 by 2007.

Free parking will remain in certain car parks, but from April the charges will be 40p for one hour, 80p for two hours, £1.60 for four hours, and £3.50 all day.