Council taxpayers in Brighton and Hove face another double-figure rise next year.

The city council is preparing for a £15 million shortfall in its £258 million operating budget when the Government announces its annual revenue support grants this month.

Ministers faced criticism last year for favouring the North when dividing up the billions of pounds given to councils to fund schools, social services and housing.

This year's 14.5 per cent increase in council tax took the average bill in the city above £1,000 for the first time.

Chief executive David Panter has been praised for shaving £6 million from the annual spend.

Now a series of meetings has been planned to come up with other ways of reducing expenditure.

Further council tax rises of up to ten per cent appear inevitable.

Coun Brian Oxley, Tory leader on the council who sits on the policy and resources committee, said: "If the predicted figures are correct, it is outrageous the Government has ignored the all-party representations from Brighton and Hove.

"The Government promised to end the problem of underfunding of local authorities yet has once again failed to act."

Paul Elgood, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said: "Members of the council are concerned about how little notice the Government seems to be taking.

"The council has made savings, such as moving out of Royal York Buildings, but there will be more and I am not just talking about the cost of biscuits at council meetings.

"We will have to look harder than ever at cuts and city council tax payers will have to brace themselves for another rise."