South Oxfordshire District Council's portion of the council tax is set to rise sharply next year.

Council leader Jan Morgan said she was disappointed with the financial support offered by the Government.

Latest figures suggest the council will receive just £26,048 more than last year, an increase in Government subsidy of only 0.37 per cent.

Mrs Morgan said: "We're getting next to no increase and as a direct result, council taxes will have to rise sharply."

She said the situation was unclear because staff were still interpreting the Government's figures, which have been formulated in a new way.

The council had hoped to get three per cent more in grants.

Mrs Morgan said: "We're at the lower end of what the Government said we could expect."

She said ministers were heaping work on local councils, putting strain on staff and increasing costs.

She added: "I imagine our council tax will have to go up by between five and 10 per cent."

SODC's existing tax for 'average' Band D houses is £103.54.

District councillors will discuss the issues at a policy development panel on December 19.

The lion's share of people's council tax bills, however, is claimed by the county council.

This year, the county council won an above-average 6.1 per cent increase in Government subsidy, but it has not announced how this will affect its Band D charge of £767.66.