COUNCIL taxpayers in kent have been told they can expect to pay more for less because of an expected £40million shortfall in the county council’s budget next year.

But the claim services will have to be slashed and bills forced up has sparked a furious war of words among the politicians at County Hall.

Council chiefs say Kent has been short changed by ministers and treated less generously than other authorities in the north.

The Government has altered the way it allocates grants to reflect the different levels of deprivation in different parts of the country more closely.

The result, according to KCC’s Tory administration, is that County Hall now faces the prospect of £40million of cuts to offset the loss. This week councillors instructed officers to find ways of cutting services within weeks.

Although KCC is refusing to speculate on the size of any council tax increases, if no cuts are made, average bills could rise by up to 13 per cent to absorb the £40million alone. Currently, KCC bills for average Band D homes is £758.

Kent’s blunt message was at odds with the Government’s view. Ministers say Kent will have an additional £30million to spend on services next year, prompting opposition claims that KCC is scaremongering.

That charge was angrily rejected by County Hall’s ruling Conservative administration.

KCC, whose budget will total £1.2billion, will get £812million in Government grants to fund services in 2003-04. That is an increase in 3.9per cent over last year and the equivalent of just over £30million.

In education, Kent will receive an increase of 6.6 per cent in its budget, which translates into a cash increase of more than £42.7million over last year.

Ministers insist the funding package represents a boost for key services. That is not how County Hall sees it. It says budget pressures will wipe out any increases.

Council leader Sandy Bruce-Lockhart said: “It is very disappointing. This is the biggest shift in funding we have seen and unfortunately, it moves money from the south east. We will try to reduce our overheads and money on administration but it will mean service cuts and an increase in the council tax."

Finance spokesman Cllr Nick Chard (Con) said: “We do not know where the axe will fall. It will be for members to decide. We have cut a lot of fat from our running costs and there is not a lot left for us.”

Opposition Labour group leader Cllr Mike Eddy said: “These increases confound everything the Tories have been making predictions about. Kent has received a settlement which puts it in the middle of all authorities and that is about right. It recognises that we have areas of deprivation as well as more prosperous areas.”

Chatham and Aylesford Labour MP Jonathan Shaw poured scorn on KCC. He said: “Kent has been given a substantial increase by the Government, making nonsense of its dire predictions.”

* Details of KCC’s budget plans are expected to emerge in the next few weeks.