COUNCIL tax payers in Swindon look set to fork out another inflation-busting 10 per cent next year.

But a wages survey today reveals that workers here get an average of £1,600 extra a year in their pay packets than most people in the country.

Swindon Council leader Mike Bawden (Con, Old Town and Lawns) has said taxpayers face the double-digit rise in April meaning they will have forked out a41.4 per cent increase over past three years.

Coun Bawden blamed the rise on last week's financial settlement from the Government, which saw the authority given £124.9m to fund its services and amenities next year.

He said: "We will do very well to keep the council tax increase in single figures because of the settlement and the blame should be laid fairly and squarely at the Government's door.

"The settlement is below what we were led to expect and has caused us major problems in education and social services. We are one of the lowest funded local education authorities in the country, which the Government acknowledge but does nothing about. We also have a major funding problem with social services, which the Government once again acknowledge but do nothing about.

"I would encourage the taxpayers of Swindon to write to the town's two MPs asking them to use their best endeavours to get more money for Swindon."

Many believe that in order to balance the books the council will either have to cut services or push up rates when the budget is finalised in March the question is now by how much. Last year council tax went up by 15.4 per cent and by 15.9 per cent the year before that the highest in the South West.

When Swindon became a unitary authority in 1997 a band D homeowner paid £536.82 a year. The figure this year was £1,048.34 the first time rates had reached more than £1,000.

The average salary in Swindon now stands at £26,320. Wages here are higher than the national average because the town has a large proportion of professionals working in the borough.

But those working in essential jobs such as teaching and nursing are earning the same amount as people in areas such as the Scottish Borders where council tax and

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houses prices are cheaper and the average wage is only £18,000.

A survey conducted by Britain's General Workers' Union (GMB) shows the average gross annual pay for a worker in Swindon is £26,320 compared to the £24,741 national average.

Swindon is the second highest earning local authority in the region with workers in South Gloucestershire earning only marginally more with an average of £26, 368. The union claims that the higher than usual figure is because of the presence of large companies such as Nationwide, Motorola and Zurich Financial Services which employ skilled workers on high salaries which bumps up average earnings in the town.

Andrew Prendergast, spokesman for the GMB in Swindon, said there were still many public service workers whose salaries are well below both the national average.

The starting pay for a graduate teacher is around £17,000 and for an auxiliary nurse is £10,000. Whereas software engineers can earn from £25,000 upwards and more than half the town's accountants earn in excess of £37,000.

Mr Prendergast said: "People on the average wage are finding it difficult enough to buy property here so it is even more difficult for low wage earners."

The survey was conducted across the employment market, taking into account high earners such as company directors earning up to £600,000 and people on low wages such as bar staff on around £9,000.

Swindon was one of three areas in the south west along with South Gloucestershire and Poole which topped the national average with Bristol and Bath falling below it.

n In tomorrow's Advertiser we look at the real cost of living and working in Swindon.

What do you think? Contact the newdesk on Swindon 528144.

Giles Sheldrick