Homeowners in Worthing will see an overall council tax rise of 18.5 per cent, it has been confirmed.

At a meeting last night, Worthing Borough Council completed the final piece of the tax jigsaw by agreeing an 8.5 per cent rise for its part of the charge.

With an 18.5 per cent tax increase from West Sussex County Council and Sussex Police's 39.9 per cent, the total rise in council tax will be 18.5 per cent - amounting to £1,111.59 a year for residents in band D properties.

People living in Band A homes will pay £741.06 a year; band B, £864.57; band C, £988.08; band E, £1,358.61; band F, £1,605.63; band G, £1,852.65; band H, £2,223.18.

Lib Dem council leader Sheila Player said: "We here are not happy with the 8.5 per cent rise because that is above what we had hoped.

"By good housekeeping and prudent use of balances, the executive has been able to produce a budget for 2003/4 which will not only enable us to maintain services at the current high level, but will also enable significant progress to be made towards achieving our key priorities and strategic objectives."

Miss Player said the council was still committed to replacing the Aquarena and had ring-fenced £2 million for the project.

But Tory opposition leader Steven Waight expressed dismay at the outcome.

He said: "This budget shows lack of vision for the town. When this is agreed, what will Worthing be like in a year's time?

"We won't have a multi-screen cinema. We won't have a replacement Aquarena along with major improvements to the leisure centre."

Referring to increases in charges, taxes and use of council reserves, Mr Waight said: "This is a triple whammy of costs. This is not a good budget."

He also called increases to cremation and burials charges as "fleecing the bereaved".

Colin Smith, borough treasurer, said he expected the "substantial" tax increases to continue because of the likely levels of Government grant.

He said: "The borough council has been cutting the best part of £1 million out of expenditure a year, putting prices up, and having to look at charges very carefully to keep the council tax down.

"If the next Government grant is in the region of one to two per cent, council tax payers have to pay for that and, with inflation, it could be fairly substantial sums."