CONFUSION reigns over the actual rise in council tax in west Wiltshire as the row over Trowbridge Town Hall rumbles on.

An article printed in The Times this week put the district's rise at the top of the list in the country, outside of London. It was reported the rise is 5.8 per cent for a Band D property, compared to the national average of 4.5 per cent, but the district council said the rise is actually 5.1 per cent.

A spokesman for the council said: "We don't know how they got to that figure but we have contacted them to find out." Playing a part in the rise is the increase in the precept for Trowbridge Town Council, hiked up by a massive 48 per cent to go towards a £3 million revamp of the town hall.

West Wiltshire MP Andrew Murrison has condemned the rise and has expressed concerns about the level of bureaucracy supporting the town council. The Trowbridge Town Council payroll for 2005-6 has 30 full and part-time employees plus 10 casual appointments. The salaries of the 14 central staff cost £293,514 of the £510,969 total, equivalent to approximately £9.80 per person per year on the council tax.

Dr Murrison said: "Clearly Trowbridge Town Council is making a major contribution to the increase in council tax bills. I hope it will conduct a thorough review of its spending."

Meanwhile people in the town are continuing to protest against the rise, which will see the bill for the average band D property rise by £44.22 a year.

Campaigner Molly Hopkins said: "It makes me very angry. I want to see the town hall refurbished but I don't want to pay for it. I can't afford to pay for it. "It is a lot of money, a lot of money for pensioners and I feel they have stolen it from our pockets."

The town council has held an initial meeting with the Heritage Lottery Fund to explore the possibilities of getting a grant. The council also voted last week that the funds raised through the tax could be used to refurbish the Civic Hall at a later date should the town hall project fall through.