FINANCE minister Edwina Hart (pictured) has told the Assembly member for Monmouth to "stop moaning" about his local council's cash settlement.

And she told David Davies, AM: "You're getting a good deal."

In response to criticism of the local government settlement for Wales, which is one of the main factors affecting the level of council tax that authorities then set, from Mr Davies, Mrs Hart issued one of the no-nonsense responses that have become her trademark.

"David, you have the sixth lowest council tax in Wales and I don't want to hear any moaning from you. Monmouthshire has done very nicely in a whole range of areas," she said.

The council has complained that the costs associated with a rising population of the county is not being reflected properly in this year's settlement.

Mrs Hart also managed to fire a broadside at the police, with whom she has had run-ins over budget levels.

She praised chief constables and police authorities for the "excellent campaign they are running in the media", and the lobbying of AMs, but she told them their efforts were misplaced.

"I hope the authorities put sufficient effort in to getting money from the Home Office through the grant system. In terms of settlement the National Assembly has dealt very fairly with police authorities."

The 2002-2003 settlement was approved, but not without criticism from the hardest-hit communities. Labour backbenchers, the Neath AM Gwenda Thomas and Merthyr's Huw Lewis attacked the effect of the latest update to the distribution formula which is likely to send council tax over £900 a year in their constituencies.

Mrs Hart drew the ire of David Davies by claiming that council tax levels were nothing to do with her.

"The level of council tax should normally be no business of the National Assembly. Each council is responsible for its own council tax."

But Mr Davies said: "For the finance minister to tell us the amount of council tax is no business of the Assembly is as outrageous as it is wrong. The Assembly is responsible for 85% of the money an authority has to spend. The less money from the Assembly, the more council tax goes up."

Blaenau Gwent AM Peter Law praised the £3 million grant which should keep council tax rises below 10 per cent in his constituency.