Business leaders say the Government is short-changing Sussex by £200 million a year.

Workers in the region paid almost £10 billion in taxes in the year 2002-2003, according to a report published by business support group Sussex Enterprise.

Over the same period, Sussex received £9.8 billion in investment through public expenditure on things like schools, roads, hospitals and libraries, it was claimed.

The report, called Gordon's Generosity Gauge, shows Sussex contributed more in taxes and social security payments than it got back in public spending.

It has been released to coincide with Gordon Brown's pre-budget announcement today which comes against a backdrop of falling house prices and rising interest rates.

The chancellor is under pressure from various quarters to raise taxes or pare back public spending to plug growing gaps in the Government's finances.

But business leaders in Sussex are hoping Mr Brown will increase his support for the area to ensure its economy, broadly perceived as healthy, is not derailed.

Steven Gauge, director of membership and communications at Sussex Enterprise, said Sussex's contribution to the wealth of the nation was being ignored.

He said: "From improving the transport infrastructure to investing in raising skill levels, Sussex is crying out for investment from Government.

"For a long time Sussex has been part of the engine room of the UK economy and the Government simply cannot take that for granted."

In Sussex Enterprise's Voice of Business survey, carried out in 2003, a fifth of the 60,000 businesses in the area said they would have to consider relocating if transport did not improve.

Jeremy Taylor, chief executive of business group CADIA, which represents the Crawley and Gatwick area, appealed for greater equality.

He said: "There is a perception that the South East is doing rather well and I suspect we are not in the consciousness of the voters who might be influencing decision makers."