Council tax bills could rocket by a third if a "hurt the rich" Government spending formula is given the go-ahead.

West Sussex County Council today warned the impact of local government minister Nick Raynford's proposals would be "disastrous."

Projections based on the new formula, designed to bridge the North-South divide by shifting cash from the Home Counties to the traditionally poorer North, show the council could lose up to £53 million a year, ten per cent of the council's total budget.

It would pay for West Sussex Fire Brigade (£25 million), libraries (£10 million) and highways maintenance (£18 million).

To cover the shortfall, the council said average band D council tax would have to go up from £724.95 to £942.44, with every household paying an extra £217.49 a year.

County council leader Harold Hall said: "The impact on taxpayers would be dramatic.

"The £50 million cut is a worst case scenario because we don't have the detailed proposals until later this year.

"However the scale of losses envisaged would be disastrous for West Sussex people."

The proposals, due to take effect in the next financial year, will affect the amounts available for education, social services, fire, highways, libraries and other essential services.

Under the plans, announced earlier this year, there will be a shift in government cash.

Mr Hall said: "This uncertainty makes it difficult to plan our budgets. We can say we could be looking at a council tax increase of up to 30 per cent to protect services."

West Sussex is also worried the plans may not take into account the higher cost of living in the South-East and the knock-on effect of providing services.

Recruiting and retaining teachers, social workers and other essential staff is already proving difficult because of higher housing costs.

Mr Hall said: "It is not fair for central government to expect West Sussex residents to effectively subsidise people in other areas by paying extra council tax.

"Elderly residents in particular are finding it hard to shoulder the extra tax burden."

A recent Parliamentary question showed almost half of retired households in the county spend more than five per cent of their income on council tax.

Mr Hall added: "We will be urging MPs to speak out against these proposals on behalf of West Sussex residents as a matter of urgency."