John Prescott will meet with local authority leaders this week in an attempt to prevent a series of council tax rises which are set to average seven per cent this April.

A survey by the Times suggests that council tax is expected to rise by more than three times the level of inflation, with over 50 per cent of councils planning  increases above the five per cent threshold.

Pensioners protested outside Devon County Council yesterday as councillors debated a five per cent rise.