Here we go again. Householders in Brighton and Hove face another big rise in council tax next year unless cuts are made.

Chief finance officer Chris Taylor is warning councillors the authority could be £8.6 million in the red at budget time.

It follows his warning almost a year ago that the council would be £5 million in debt. Drastic action was taken then and will be needed again.

This is not good news for people who have been paying higher than inflation council tax rises for several years in the city.

Part of the problem is that the Government is using council tax as a back door method for raising revenue.

More worryingly, it appears Brighton and Hove will lose out badly under the new formula for distributing grants, which will tend to favour authorities in the north rather than southern councils.

The city needs to put its case firmly that many of the problems it faces arise from deprivation and poverty.

However, there remains the suspicion the authority is still not as efficient as it could be, despite recent radical overhauls.

The council is a big organisation and, like a tanker at sea, it takes some time to turn it around.

But the constant financial problems are wearing, both for staff and those who have to pay the bills. A period of stability would be welcome.