Council tax bills in Brighton and Hove will rise by 11.41 per cent in April - five times the rate of inflation.

The city council's budget means the average Band D householder will pay £922.63, £95 more than in the current year.

The budget involved cuts of £3.8 million but there was relief on the Labour-controlled council that the news wasn't worse after its poor Government grant settlement.

The new figures, which include levies from the police, fire brigade and Environment Agency, are: A £615.09, B £717.60, C £820.12, D £922.63, E £1,127.66, F £1,332.69, G 1,537.72, H £1,656.21.

Band C householders - and there are more of them than other bands - will pay just over £1.60 more a week.

The increases were agreed after a two-hour debate at Brighton Town Hall.

Deputy council leader Jackie Lythell said the council had concentrated spending on what people wanted - the environment, waste disposal and schools.

She said: "The increase is higher than we had hoped but it is not all gloom and doom. We still may have the lowest council tax in Sussex."

Tory opposition leader Brian Oxley said: "We are getting less in service for more tax. This is a rise too far."

Conservative finance spokeswoman Pat Drake said Labour had broken a pledge to keep council tax rises to five per cent.

She asked Labour: "Where do you think people are going to find this money from?"

Liberal Democrat group leader Paul Elgood said the council had been guilty of overspending and waste.

Green convenor Keith Taylor said it would help to drive low wage earners out of the city.

Each of the opposition parties put forward alternative proposals to the meeting.

The Greens proposed selling Brighton Town Hall, which they said would raise more than £2 million.

The Liberal Democrat proposals included spending more on grants and reducing members' allowances.

The Conservatives proposed a series of cuts, including money spent on travellers and on the homeless.