TRAFFORD'S council tax is set to rise by 4.9 per cent this year.

But the increase will leave Trafford with the lowest council tax in Greater Manchester.

Band D houses will receive a charge of £722.97, equivalent to a rise of 65 pence per week.

Education has been made a priority, getting more than £100 million of the Revenue Budget. Primary schools in particular will benefit from an extra five per cent spending.

Leader of the council Cllr David Acton said: "We intend to raise the levels of service in the borough across the board.

"This budget, like Labour's previous budgets since taking overall control of the council four years ago, is designed to put people and communities first in Trafford."

Cllr Pauleen Lane, cabinet member for Best Value and Resources, said: "Our low council tax is no longer news. We don't just want cheap services, we want quality services at a fair price and we intend to use Best Value to help us achieve it."

The social services will also be given a significant financial boost, with a 4.6 per cent rise aimed at improving residential care for elderly people.

And the council is planning to introduce neighbourhood wardens to keep the streets clean and safe as well as handling parking problems.

But Leader of the Opposition Cllr Frank Eadie attacked the Budget, saying it was an attempt to curry favour with the Government. He said: "The grants from the Government have to be matched by the council, which means the Government is taking too much control.

"It is telling us what to spend our money on, and it is not giving us the freedom to choose for ourselves."

And Cllr John Tolhurst, shadow cabinet member for Best Value and Resources, criticised the amount of money taken from the General Reserve. He said £3.9 million was added to the Budget from the reserve.

Cllr Tolhurst said: "The general auditor said we shouldn't let the General Reserve fall to this level. This is short term planning of the worst kind."

Liberal Democrat Cllr Mrs Brenda Ackroyd agreed that the Budget looked good for education and she welcomed the consultation process with the public. But she voiced concern about the three per cent efficiency savings which were being made.

She asked: "How can savings be made without affecting services?"

New council tax rates by band

A - £481.98

B - £562.31

C - £642.64

D - £722.97

E - £883.63

F - £1,044.29

G - £1,204.95

H - £1,445.94

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.