NEW government figures today revealed that Hyndburn's council tax rise is not only the lowest in Lancashire but the eighth lowest in the country.

The council's 2.7 per cent increase for 2002-03 beat 230 other district councils nation wide to put it in the UK's top 10 savers.

The rise, agreed during a heated meeting at Accrington Town Hall earlier this month, means council tax payers in band D properties will pay £168 for services provided by Hyndburn council and £930 for county council and police authority services.

Now that every council has set its council tax level, the Government has published its own league table.

The top eight are:

1 -- Harlow, Essex -- nil

2 -- Basingstoke and Deane, Hampshire -- 0.5 per cent

3 equal -- West Oxfordshire and Cannock Chase, Staffordshire -- 1.2 per cent

5 -- Wansbeck, Northumberland -- 1.8 per cent

6 -- Staffordshire Moorlands -- 1.9 per cent

7 -- Cambridge City -- 2.3 per cent

8 -- Hyndburn -- 2.7 per cent

At the meeting which set the increase earlier this month Conservative council leader Peter Britcliffe said the savings had been made while at the same time preserving services.

But Labour opposition leader Ian Ormerod accused him of indulging in the "politics of the madhouse" in advance of the May local elections.

The ruling Tories had originally come up with a recommended rise of 7.7 per cent but then spent two weeks pruning expenditure.