POLITICAL group leaders on the city council are to get together on Monday to try and find some common ground before the crunch budget meeting next week.

Four of the five political groups have produced their own budgets which they believe the cash-strapped council should implement. The most detailed budget proposals have been drawn up by the Independent and Green groups with the Conservatives offering no budget plans at all.

Behind the on-going political war of words, the different budget proposals make interesting reading.

The ruling Independent group's budget suggests an increase in council tax of 6.04 per cent but includes a very unpopular £60,000 cut in grants to voluntary community groups.

The Labour group's plans include an 11 per cent increase in council tax, a £21,000 reduction in grants to voluntary groups and taking £89,000 from the reserves. This level of tax would lead to a Government penalty of around £34,000. The highest council tax has been submitted by the Lib Dems who propose not cut to voluntary group funding but increase the council tax by 11.7 per cent. This would attract a Government penalty of £39,000. Finally, the Greens have set a tax level of 6.04 with no cuts to the voluntary sector by savings which include not filling vacant posts, spending less on advertising and charging for car parks on Sundays.

The tough budget decisions will be hammered out at a full council meeting on Wednesday, Feb 28.