COUNCIL tax for Wanstead and Woodford residents will increase by more than eight per cent if new budget proposals are approved.

Redbridge Council unveiled its proposals this week for a 7.1 per cent increase under the slogan 'Delivering Investment, Maximising Efficiency'.

This is expected to be coupled with an extra one per cent rise from the Greater London Authority, taking the overall total to 8.1 per cent.

Last year saw an increase of 16 per cent, and if this week's proposals are approved, local taxpayers will find their bills have gone up by nearly a quarter in two years leaving an average Band D taxpayer paying £1,165.70.

Announcing the proposals Council leader cllr Allan Burgess said: "We are investing heavily in the social infrastructure of the borough and delivering on our election pledges. At the same time we are cutting out corporate waste and maximising efficiency right across the council, in order to free up funds for front-line services.

"Despite a Government policy which still seeks to move money out of London to the Midlands and the North, we are proposing a much lower Council Tax increase than last year."

Among the council's plans are increases to a number of capital investment programmes including a 150 per cent increase to £7million for education, a 62 per cent increase to £4.2 million for environment and highways works, and three quarters of a million pounds towards the regeneration of Ilford.

The proposals from the ruling Conservative group have met a hostile response from other parties.

Labour leader Elaine Norman said: "My first impression is that the percentage increase in the Council Tax is higher than the Government had in mind when they announced an extra £360 million for local Government.

"It's quite a significant increase particularly for people on low incomes."

Liberal Democrat leader Hugh Cleaver said: "The Tory cabinet is obviously trying to put a positive spin on an increase in Council Tax that will be almost three times the rate of inflation.

"Added to last year's massive increase this will be more bad news for those on fixed incomes such as pensioners, and demonstrates yet again the unfairness of the Council Tax."

Defending the increase Cllr Burgess said: "It is due to the pressures that are placed on us from different quarters. We are doing vastly more with the money we have to deliver services.

"We need to support the infrastructure of the borough. We had to cut back on a number of things last year because the Government settlement was so bad."

The proposals will be discussed at a meeting of the full council in Ilford Town Hall this evening and at a cabinet meeting on Monday.

The budget is due to be finalised towards the end of March.