The authority's Labour administration have refused to rule out a tax rises or cuts in services.

But council leader Mick Young said: "If there was a 10% increase in council tax next year, I personally would be bitterly, bitterly disappointed."

He said it would be foolish to predict the rise without knowing how much money the county will receive from central government.

Brian Binley, finance spokesman for the Conservatives, said the situation was unacceptable.

He insisted: "We have had an approximately 80% increase over the last seven years at a time when inflation has gone up by just over 20%."