20 February 2013 Last updated at 03:51 ET

North Somerset council tax to rise

Council tax in North Somerset is to rise by 1.5% in the coming year after the local authority agreed to an increase.

The rise will see an average Band D property pay an extra 33 pence a week.

The Conservative-run council blamed "unfair funding" from the government and said some services may be stopped.

It said government grant funding had been reduced by 6.3% for 2013/14 but it was still waiting for confirmation of the final settlement.

Council leader Nigel Ashton said: "Challenging finances are not new to us.

"However, we have never faced such challenging times as now, and they will be with us for years.

"The scale of change will be significant and the council will look, feel and operate very differently in the future.

"But the ways we achieve those plans will change and will inevitably have an impact on residents, communities, partner organisations and our own staff. "