SMOKERS and drinkers should be prepared to cut back on their habits to help social services, according to a county councillor.

Betty Passingham said it would be better for people to stump up extra council tax than buy more beer or cigarettes.

She added that people in Worcestershire should be willing to pay more tax because social services was "much more important".

Worcestershire County Council's social services/health and well-being policy advisory panel has opposed any more cuts to frontline social services.

It backed a £4m increase in social services funding for next year which in council tax terms would be the equivalent to a 13 per cent increase - a £1.53 increase a week.

"People pay £1.53 for almost anything and to get good social services is a reasonable thing to do," said Coun Passingham.

"I have been told off lots of times for saying this but I would rather pay £1.53 extra than save up money and buy packets of cigarettes or a pint of beer because this is a lot more important," she added.

Coun Les Thomas called the funding situation for social services "ridiculous".

"We should tell the Government that if we are going to have decent services we must have some money from somewhere," he said.

Social services bosses have been wrestling with an anticipated deficit of £4.6m and have had to make several cuts.

Peter Pinfield, portfolio holder for Worcestershire County Council's social services said people were living longer and that support packages had to be ongoing.

"We have not got continuing money to follow it through," he said.

"We would love to be able to do more preventative work but at the moment are just dealing with emergency cases."

Panel chairman, Edward Sheldon, said social service chiefs were making headway on the budget crisis but added they were "not out of the woods yet".

"We should oppose frontline cuts and if any should be made they should come from administrative services," he added.

The panel moved to support a £4m increase in next year's social services budget and resist any cuts in frontline services.