BAD-TEMPERED political swipes came from every angle as Waverley councillors set the pre-election budget - agreeing inflation-busting rent and council tax increases for the year ahead.

Waverley residents will be hit hard in the new financial year as their overall council tax bills soar by 18.9 per cent - thanks to increases of 17.9 per cent from Surrey County, nine per cent from Waverley and 40.1 per cent from Surrey Police.

Rents for council homes in Waverley will also increase by an average of 5.5 per cent.

Attacks were launched against the council's Conservative majority at this week's budget meeting by the council's Lib Dem and Labour councillors.

Raising the temperature in the council chamber, the leader of the Lib Dems, Chris Slyfield, blasted the budget statement as the last that will be made by the Conservative administration.

Mr Slyfield jibed: "The Liberal Democrats will need some very large shovels to dig this council out of the financial mess it is now in and we have only got until May 1 to budget for the shovels."

But the leader of Waverley's Conservatives, David Harmer, defended the new budget stating: "We have kept the increase in our council tax down to 2.3 per cent, which is our assessment of the rate of inflation in local government costs.

"But in the face of new government requirements, we have had to add a further 6.7 per cent to pay for them."

The demands from the government mean that Waverley must invest a total of more than £400,000 in recycling facilities and help for the homeless.

Mr Harmer continued: "I am delighted that we have kept to our pledge and not increased shoppers' car parking charges."

But Lib Dem councillor for Farnham Waverley, Dr Rosemary Thomas, lashed out by accusing the Conservatives of being "constrained by their previous promises to the electorate".

"This budget will not help public services," Dr Thomas claimed.

She went on to state that the Conservatives pledge not to increase charges for shoppers' parking had been "unrealistic", and had put the burden on to the borough's council taxpayers.

Also at the meeting there were calls from the Labour minority for the council to save money by "sweeping out the cowboys" contracted to repair Waverley council homes, and to invest more in public services.

Labour councillor for Godalming North East and South West, Danny Denningberg said: "We are literally throwing money down the drain. I was under the impression that we had stopped using cowboys for repairs but I was recently told by a resident that it had taken three visits from different council contractors to fit a front door to their house."

Under the new budget, the council's average rent increases for tenants will be 5.5 per cent, with some tenants facing increases in the region of 10 per cent. The rent hikes come as nearly 50 per cent of the council's housing stock was branded "non-decent" under government guidelines from a study of the homes in May 2002.

Mr Denningberg said: "Although there are affluent people in the borough, there are more people who find the cost of living too high. It is these people who are already under pressure who will be affected the most by this budget."

The Conservative majority voted through the budget.

Meanwhile West Sussex residents face large increases to plug a county budget shortfall of £30 million. Bills for Fernhurst are expected to increase by 18.6 per cent, bringing the charge for band D to £1,102, and residents in Camelsdale and Lynchmere could see a rise of 18.3 per cent, taking the average band D charge up to £1,100.57. The final decision on the charges will be made March 4.

• East Hampshire has a smaller rise averaging 14 per cent. Band D for Liphook will be £1,104.78, and £1,095.55 for Grayshott.