TORIES are presenting Brighton and Hove Council with an alternative budget which they say could cut tax bills by up to £15 and provide better services.

Opposition leader Geoffrey Theobald will present the alternative budget at the council tax meeting of the authority tonight. At the same time, Tories propose spending more money on road maintenance, street lighting, primary school French and a taxi fund scheme for the disabled. Coun Theobald says the council has at least £20 million in reserves and using £826,000 of it could cut tax bills for the typical Band D payer by £15 a year. Conservatives also suggest new public lavatories in North Laine and on the seafront, reducing increases in home care services and providing cash to keep Hangleton Community Centre going. They also want a 24-hour noise patrol service, another dog warden, more money on fighting graffiti and better street sweeping. Savings they propose include reducing public relations staff, reducing the subsidy on the council creche and putting golf courses out to tender. But council leader Lord Bassam called the Tory alternative budget "kamikaze finance" which would lose the towns more than £1 million a year in Government cash. It would put at risk projects like the Dome redevelopment, playground improvements and a road scheme for Blatchington Mill School. Lord Bassam said: "You can only spend reserves once, so next year there would be cuts and tax increases to pay for this short-sighted stunt."

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