CHAOS reigned in council chambers this week as members attempted to make £1.5 million cuts to this year's budget.

The final council tax increase was set at 4.1 per cent after hours of debate.

Proposals by the Greens, Liberals, Labour and last minute proposals by the Conservatives were rejected by councillors who struggled for hours to reach a compromise.

Labour initially appeared to support Conservative budget plans after seeing their own kicked out.

Their finance spokesman Cllr Ian Barker said that they preferred the Conservative budget to the MBIs and would table a series of amendments.

But Labour stalwart Cllr Trevor Tattersall was quick to intervene and said he would never vote with the Tories. He was backed by Cllr Bryning and Yates.

The MBI's fragile truce with the Tories was also broken when Conservative leader, Cllr James Airey, stood up and said about the Independent leader, Tricia Heath: "We have flirted with each other for some time, we've had a brief honeymoon but that's over."

Veteran Tory Sybil Rostron, at her 19th council budget meeting, said: "I cannot remember another meeting where so many councillors have been referred to by name in such derogatory terms."

The meeting, which started at 2pm, lasted well into the night as councillors debated areas of disagreement.

As councillors debated how long they should break for dinner, the Mayor, Cllr Edna Jones, summed up proceedings when she said: "This is bedlam!"

At the time of going to press the council has agreed to take £21,000 from reserves to help local voluntary groups.