PLANS to introduce further council tax hikes have been slammed by a prospective Rossendale Conservative MP.

Tory prospective parliamentary candidate Nigel Adams spoke out after plans were outlined in a report commissioned by the government.

Whitehall plans to increase local taxes across Rossendale -- either by the introduction of new higher council tax bands or a supplementary income tax levied by councils.

Under the proposals, the top band of council tax in Rossendale, currently £2,592, could soar to £6,912 with homes across the Valley worth more than £170,000 all seeing substantial rises in council tax.

In addition, the report calls for more work on the development of a supplementary income tax which would be levied on top of council tax. Nigel Adams said: "Across the country, council tax has soared by an average of 70 per cent since Labour came to power, across all types of homes. In Rossendale Council tax has risen from £815 to £1,296 on a Band D property.

"Residents whose only crime is to live in areas like Helmshore, where house prices have risen sharply over the last few years, will be alarmed at the proposals for a new ten band council tax system.

"Hardworking families and pensioners face the prospect of soaring bills from 2007 as a result of revaluation and re-banding.

"As if that is not bad enough, the Government has called for further work on a supplementary income tax that would be levied in addition to, not instead of, the council tax."