A promise to cut year-on-year rises in council tax will give taxpayers just enough money to buy a slice of bread, it was claimed today (July 5).

Oxfordshire County Council's all-Tory decision-making cabinet, led by Keith Mitchell, will today seek to show voters it can live up to its pre-election pledge by voting to reduce its share of next April's bills.

But opposition groups claim the move is just a token gesture.

In 2004 County Hall, then run by a Conservative-Liberal Democrat alliance led by Mr Mitchell, rejected Labour's plans to increase council tax by four per cent -- instead of the 6.25 per cent eventually agreed -- saying the saving amounted to the price of a tin of beans.

In March this year the county council's tax rise for 2005/06 was set at 4.5 per cent.

The authority now has three options -- reduce yearly increases by 0.1 per cent, 0.125 per cent or 0.25 per cent.

The indications are the cabinet will opt for a reduction of 0.125 per cent, which leaves enough money floating around for unforeseen costs -- or contingencies -- and means bills will increase next year by 4.375 per cent.

If this is the case, a Band D taxpayer will pay £1,008.74 in the county council's share of the council tax -- a £42.28 increase on this year's £966.46.

If next year's bills increase by 4.5 per cent, the rise would be £43.49.

Tory county councillor and cabinet member for finance, Charles Shouler, said: "If you reduce the rate of increases in council tax you have less to spend on contingencies, like unexpected costs and new service pressures.

"Around 70 per cent of local government money comes from central government, but if this arrangement changes we would not be able to deliver this commitment.

"An all-Conservative cabinet should mean, in general, a lower-spending council. We are confident we can live up to our manifesto pledges."

The Tories won a landslide victory at May's elections securing 43 of a possible 74 seats with pledges of "low taxes, real choice and value for money."

Council leader Mr Mitchell, who will not be at today's meeting, said: "This doesn't sound a great deal, but it's about all we can manage at the moment."

County councillor Jim Moley, the Liberal Democrat's shadow cabinet member for finance, said: "There have been lots of promises about lowering taxes in the Conservative manifesto so it will be interesting to see which option they choose without affecting services."

Labour group leader Liz Brighouse added: "When we wanted to reduce the increase in council tax it was dismissed as a saving that would buy a tin of baked beans -- but what Mr Mitchell is proposing now doesn't even amount to a slice of bread.

"This is all just hypocrisy. Over the past four years Oxfordshire has not been able to manage its money wisely -- and this will continue to be the case."

The final council tax bills people pay include elements from the county council, district, town and parish councils, and the police.