HYNDBURN Council must make savings worth almost £1million if it is to keep council tax rises below five per cent, new figures have revealed.

And traders at Accrington's Market Hall have hit out at plans to recoup some of that cash by increasing charges at the historic building by over 20 per cent.

The authority has been hit by rising costs and has now announced that cuts must be made in its accounts, council tax and admin services.

Rents at council-owned buildings are set to rise and Hyndburn hopes to raise an extra £51,000 by increasing service charges for traders at Accrington Market Hall.

The council is already looking to lease the market to a private company to increase inv-estment in the complex.

Neville Slinger, from the market traders association, said that they will fight any increase in charges.

He said: "They cannot put up the charges unless it can be proved that running costs have increased.

"We will fight this all the way, it is a rise of more than 20 per cent. As business people we have to keep our costs down and they must do the same."

In a further bid to cut costs council staff have been told to save £1,000 from their annual stationary budget.

Council leader Coun Peter Britcliffe said the authority would make every effort to "do more for less" as they put together the budget for 2006/07.

He said: "We have held consultations with local residents and we know what the priorities are. People want to see money spent on services but they are not keen on paying any increase on their council tax."

Hyndburn Council has already announced that it will keep its increase below five per cent despite its money problems.

The council is more than £15million in debt and is expected to have to make £1million savings for the next two years.

A rise in the wages of council staff is expected to cost the tax payer an extra £1.1million a year.