Council tax rises in East Sussex are expected to be the lowest anywhere in England, county councillors have promised.

Bills will increase by 4.9 per cent from April, almost certainly less than any other English council but still double the rate of inflation.

Average Band D bills for county council services will be £778, up from £741.

The county council, responsible for big-spending departments such as education and social services, raises by far the biggest share of the council tax in East Sussex.

Deputy leader Daphne Bagshawe said the ruling Conservatives had delivered on their low tax promise made at last year's local elections.

Lib Dem and Labour councillors said the low rise had been made possible because of savage cuts and accused the administration of stealing money from essential services.

Mrs Bagshawe said: "There is one cut we are definitely making and that cut is in the rate of increase in the council tax.

"I am so proud we will bring in a council tax raise that is likely to be the lowest in the country."

Education is the only department which has not had to make savings. Elsewhere there have been cutbacks of between four and ten per cent.

A sometimes stormy budget-setting meeting heard schools would get £200 million, social services £100 million and repairs to roads and street lighting nearly £14 million.

Mrs Bagshawe set aside £300,000 for a new rural regeneration fund and nearly £2 million for the new Lewes library, the latter signalled well in advance.

However, there was no reprieve for libraries at Old Town, Eastbourne, and Sidley and Little Common, both near Bexhill which are to close. Mobile library services also face cutbacks.

Councillors, meanwhile, voted to boost their own pay. Council leader Peter Jones's allowance will rise from £16,412 to £29,800 and Mrs Bagshawe will get £23,800.

Other cabinet councillors will get £19,800, up from £11,412. Councillors without front bench responsibilities will get £9,800, up from £6,412.

Lib Dems said another £5.1 million could have been pumped in to front line services if the council tax had been increased by 6.9 per cent.

Opposition councillors said schools would lose £900,000 because the council was not passing on all the money it gets for education from the Government.