Council tax in Shoreham, Lancing and Southwick is set to rise by more than three times the rate of inflation.

Residents owning an average Band D home will have to pay £892.91 a year under the rate set last night.

Those in Sompting and Lancing will have to pay about £8 a year on top of that.

Last night Adur's ruling Tories said the rise of 7.8 per cent was necessary to try to make ends meet.

Councillor Neil Parkin said: "This is not a budget which any of us are proud of. There are service reductions which none of us would do by choice but we haven't got any choice. We have to do this to be responsible.

"This stringent budget is a first prudent step in dragging Adur back from the brink of bankruptcy left by the last Labour administration."

On Tuesday councillors failed to finalise their budget for 2001/2 despite a five-hour meeting. Then the Tories had proposed a rise of 7.4 per cent.

Last night they upped the increase after the suggestion was made by the Liberal Democrats, the smallest group on the council. The two groups voted together to pass the budget.

All Labour councillors voted against it. They lost control to the Conservatives last year.

Group leader Mike Willson said the service cuts ignored the needs of residents in the district and proposed savings were too vague.

He said: "We have ended up with no improvements in services and illogical double standards in the approach to setting this budget. The residents have been let down."

Cuts include a ten per cent reduction in the park maintenance budget, a £15,000 cut in community and welfare grants and a review of pest control services to save more than £20,000.

More than £65,000 will be saved by cutting administration costs and reducing car allowances for council staff.