by Sam Lennon

The borough council is expected to charge an above-inflation rise in council tax, which could be capped by the Government.

Ashford is pushing for an increase for its share of almost 4 per cent, when inflation is now at 2.4 per cent and Whitehall wants rises of below 3 per cent.

A report to the borough's executive committee says: "Bearing in mind the expectation of average council tax increases being below 3 per cent it is possible that the council is at a higher risk of capping."

Its proposed charge for an average Band D property from next April is £140.67, a rise of £5.40 from £135.27 this financial year.

This increase, at 3.992 per cent, is to be discussed by the council's executive committee tonight (Thursday).

This figure, along with next year's entire budget, is expected to be finally voted on by the full council on February 18.

Barbara Follett, minister for Communities and Local Government, said that because Whitehall grants to councils had increased by 4 per cent she wanted councils to cut average increases to a 16-year low.

She said: "If they can't we will not hesitate to use our capping powers."

Councils who overstep the mark and then refuse to adjust their budgets would be stopped from spending the tax collected.

This would involve re-billing, which would have to be paid for by Ashford at a cost of £45,000 to £50,000.

The 2009/10 total bill for a Band D property is £1,362.25 for an unparished area. That was a 4.7 per cent increase on the previous year. In 2009/10 the Government increase limit was 5 per cent.

Ashford's part of the council tax charge amounts to just 10 per cent of the entire bill that will arrive on householders' doormats this spring.

Kent County Council takes another 75 per cent while the rest of the money goes to Kent Police Authority and Kent Fire and Rescue Authority.

The county council part of the tax bill for 2010/11 is set to rise to between 1.8 and 2.6 per cent.

The authority wants the lower rise but says it can only get it if the Government agrees to pay it back more than £7 million owed for looking after asylum seekers.

It says without that the charge would have to go up by 2.6 per cent.

This figure is only for the KCC part of the bill, with additional costs paid from Ashford council, and the fire and police authorities.

KCC will decided on its figure for increase at its budget meeting on February 18.