PEOPLE living in Swindon could have to fork out an extra £70 in council tax in April because local schools and social services have been "stuffed" by the Government.

That's the claim from the ruling Conservatives on Swindon Council, who say they need local people to pay the money a Labour Government has failed to give them.

The council will consult residents over the coming months about the Conservative tax proposals, which would mean a 9.5 per cent rise in council taxes and around £800,000 of cuts to services the council is not legally obliged to offer.

At present, the cuts look likeliest to fall on arts groups like Swindon Dance and the railway museum Steam. But a total of £2 million worth of services could still be cut if residents decide they prefer low taxes to services.

The Government has given Swindon Council an extra £5.8 million to run its services, but that still leaves it with £2.8 million to find.

Last night, the Conservatives passed a motion that recommends increasing education spending by the Govern-ment's preferred £4.83 million, plus another £1.15 million from council taxes.

But the Tories' lead spokesman on education, Garry Perkins (Dorcan) abstained from voting for his own party's motion, saying that although the Tories had done their best to fund schools, the rise was still less than Swindon children deserved.

Coun Perkins explained after the special cabinet meeting that, although Government spending on education had gone up in Swindon, it had gone up more in other areas, meaning local children were losing ground on their neighbours.

"This Labour Govern-ment has consistently and constantly starved Swindon of resources," he said.

"Swindon has been well and truly stuffed by this Government."

The Tories' lead member for finance and best value, Nick Martin (Toothill and Westlea), said he thought most people would see a 9.5 per cent increase in council tax as "outrageous", but claimed it was a "stealth tax" imposed by a Labour Government that under funded Swindon.

Labour group leader Sue Bates (Gorse Hill and Pinehurst) was the only councillor to vote against the proposals, and insisted the problem lay in 20 years of Conservative under-funding of Swindon, not four years of Labour Government.

"In 1997, we got an appalling settlement, one of the worst in the country, and that set the trend from that day," she said.