SWINDON residents are being urged to attend a public meeting about council tax tonight.

The meeting comes as Swindon Council considers £10m of cuts to try to keep this year's council tax increase down.

Residents at tonight's meeting, or another on January 10, can let the council know what services they want to prioritise, where efficiency savings should be found and what level of council tax they would like to see.

Coun Mike Bawden, leader of the council, said it was important people gave their views.

"I urge people to come along to one of these meetings," he said.

"They will give residents the chance to tell us what level of council tax they would like to see next year as well as about which services should be prioritised and where they want us to find savings.

"We have been working hard to find savings because people have told us they do not want a massive council tax increase like the ones that have resulted in a 42 per cent rise over the last three years.

"We want a council tax rise that is acceptable to residents but which will also allow us to pay for the necessary improvements to the performance of the council that will bring better services to local residents.

"The final budget will not be set until February and we want to hear as many people's views as possible before then.

"If you can't come along to one of the meetings you could fill in a questionnaire instead."

The questionnaires are available from council offices or on the council website, where full details of the budget proposals can be found.

The council is asking people whether they want a council tax increase of three per cent or one of 19.2 per cent, which the council says would be the result if none of the proposed savings were made.

The public meetings, taking place tonight and on January 10, run 6-7pm at the Civic Offices, Euclid Street, Swindon.

Meanwhile, calls have been flooding in to our telephone poll on planned council cuts.

Readers have been ringing to let us know which of the 10 possible cuts we highlighted they want to stop happening.

The cuts are all being considered as Swindon Council sets its budget and council tax levels for 2005/6.

And you have been voting on which of the proposals which range from closing public toilets to cutting grants for the voluntary sector would have the worst impact on the town.

We will publish the results of the poll in full tomorrow.