HAMPSHIRE councillors will today vote on a £672m budget which will see average council tax bills rise by £20.

A wage freeze for thousands of workers and slashing petrol expenses are among a list of money-saving measures drawn up to balance the budget.

County bosses have set themselves a £30m savings target over the next two years because of rising demand for services and anticipated reduced Government public spending. Council leader Ken Thornber has said there are no cuts in service budgets in the spending plans for 2010-11.

The county council is responsible for services including social care, road repairs, education, libraries and rubbish disposal.

If the 2010-11 budget is formally approved today, council tax will rise by 1.9per cent for the second year running.

Residents will be charged an extra £20 a year in council tax for an average Band D home, taking the total to £1,037, excluding police, fire, district and parish charges.

In addition, £8m savings will be taken out of council coffers. Liberal Democrat opposition councillors have accused Conservatives of building up reserves by council tax hikes in previous years.

Unions are objecting to plans to cut petrol expenses from 53p to 40p per mile - saving about £1m a year - and stopping extra pay for working nights and evenings.

Rolli Rollands, deputy branch secretary of Hampshire Unison, said: "With inflation going up to 3.4 per cent, now is not the time to be talking about a reduction in allowances, especially when they are offering zero percent wage increases."

The budget proposals include £600,000 to triple the number of salt bins across the county, £1m to build two new salt barns and £250,000 to boost the education of children in care.

The council aims to save £15m next year by reducing workforce costs, including the bill for agency staff, cutting corporate expenses and negotiating better deals with suppliers.

Council leader Ken Thornber said: "It is becoming more difficult to find savings, but even more important that we do so in light of increasing demand and costs and the prospect of national public spending cuts from 2011-12."

Schools are funded by a separate £892.8m government grant.