ANGRY ratepayers today condemned their council's decision to go ahead with a 62.2 per cent rate rise.

More than 5000 residents besieged Waltham Forest town hall while councillors debated the new rate of 321p in the pound--the highest in London.

For 83,000 householders it will mean, on average, an extra to £5.13p a week and the average annual bill goes up from £432 to £701.

A motion to overturn the increase, which was passed last month, was lost by 30 votes to 24 at last night's meeting.

Kathleen Colllns, 70, who was in the demo, said today: "The battle is far from over yet. I'm absolutely disgusted by their decision. I'm a pensioner and I can't afford to pay a rise like that. My pension isn't going to go up by anything like 62.2 per cent.

"This council is flying in the face of public opinion and ignoring the people who put them in power.

Ratepayers' Action Group spokesman John Anderson, 40, said: "This rise is going to crucify local businesses and turn this borough into an economic wasteland.

"Many people in the borough just can't afford the rise.

Many others at the demo said they would refuse to pay until the council reduces the rates.

Tempers flared and fists flew at the protest which halted traffic. Dozens of police were called, but there were no arrests.

At the meeting, Tory group leader Mike Lewis, was cheered by a packed public gallery when he proposed the motion to scrap the increase.

The leader of the Labour controlled council, Nell Gerrard, has received death threats slnce the rise was announced. He was presented with more than 3900 letters of protest by opposition councillors at the meeting.

Mr Gerrard's speech was constantly booed by people in the public gallery who demanded his resignation.

He told the meeting: " This rate rise is what is needed for the services of the borough-- the homeless, those living in decaying houses, the children at physical and mental risk and all the other needy people in the borough."

TEMPERS SOAR TOO . . . Irate ratepayers