Someone once said there were only two things in life you could be sure of - death and taxes.

They were not wrong.

Today, we reveal what next year's above-inflation council tax increases are likely to look like if you live in an average-size house.

And it does not make good reading, especially if you happen to be a pensioner.

The double whammy next year is that tax rises are likely to go hand in hand with service cuts.

Earlier this week, no sooner had Oxfordshire County Council counted the amount of money it received from the Government to fund services, a spokesman was wheeled out to declare it would leave the authority "stretched in terms of providing services to current levels" - a euphemism for cuts.

Tax rises are only ever acceptable if services are first class and improving.

Across Oxfordshire, we have yet to be convinced that is the case.