The Tories have attacked a proposed 10.9 per cent increase in council tax as "outrageous".

The rise is likely to be recommended by Labour leaders of Brighton and Hove City Council.

Tory opposition leader Councillor Brian Oxley said: "It is as we feared. All that we have been saying has been justified."

He said Labour had failed to deal with its finances properly and the people of the city were having to pay the price.

"The Government should be helping us but it has not and it has left us in a sorry state," said Coun Oxley.

"It is trying to penalise Westminster and this is penalising us because we are also a tourist destination."

Tory finance spokeswoman Councillor Pat Drake said: "I am extremely concerned for the council tax payers of Brighton and Hove.

"The promise of the Labour group of five per cent rises over three years has been widely disregarded.

"Part of the reason is the council decision to take control of waste collection but the main gap has been caused by other decisions of the Labour group and mismanagement of the budget."