COUNCIL tax payers in Cornwall are to be polled on how much they want to spend on services in the county.

Cornwall county council has commissioned the independent market research company MORI to carry out a telephone survey of Cornish residents on proposals for the rate of council tax.

MORI will be telephoning a representative cross section of 500 Cornwall residents over the next two weeks as part of a widespread consultation process designed to inform county councillors before they set the council tax on February 17.

The county council is also consulting with staff, pensioners' groups and other organisations.

It is consulting on three possible levels for the rate of council tax. These are:

A council tax increase of four to six per cent. The council says an increase in this range would produce a shortfall in funding, leaving it unable to meet the Government's target for spending on schools, social services or the recent increase in firefighters' pay

A council tax increase of 7 to 9 per cent. An increase in this range would allow the council to maintain current services and meet spending targets for schools, social services, and issues such as firefighters' pay, road maintenance and improve public transport.

A council tax increase of 10 to 12 per cent. An increase in this range would allow the council to maintain current services, meet the extra costs caused by inflation and meet Government targets for schools and social services. It would also allow additional spending to improve some services.

People contacted by MORI will be asked to take part in a five-minute interview which will ask for their views on the three proposals .

"Setting the rate of council tax is one of the most important decisions made by county councillors and it is vitally important that the people of Cornwall have the chance to make their views known," said John Lobb, the leader of Cornwall county council.

"This telephone survey forms an important part of our consultation process and we hope that anyone contacted by MORI will take this opportunity to have their say."