BUDGET plans have revealed next year’s council tax rise of 2.4 per cent will be the lowest in over 10 years.
Band A households – 41 per cent of all Coventry homes – will pay around £20 extra on top of this year’s £923.89 bill.
Council leaders say it amounts to 40p a week more and Band B households – a third of Coventry homes – will pay about 46p a week more.
It will be the lowest rise since 1997 and is down on last year’s 3.8 per cent increase.
Final council tax bills will be calculated after the emergency services set their portion of the rates – a small percentage of overall bills.
But under the same plans, around 80 more jobs will be lost at the council as part of a £10 million cuts programme to balance recession-hit books.
This includes “streamlining management structures” by cutting 10 senior management posts and 69 other jobs.
This follows 190 job cuts from this year that included 33 vacant posts.
Council services and outside bodies asked to make cuts or savings include adult social care, community centres and youth services, libraries, the performing arts service, neighbourhood services, grounds maintenance and the trusts running museums and sports centres.
The budget will also help fund multi-million pound borrowing and preparations for private finance initiatives, including the £1billion plan for a new waste incinerator, a £300million schools rebuilding programme, and replacing the city’s street lights.
Charities will take another cut of three per cent in council funding.
Councillor Kevin Foster, cabinet member of finance, procurement and value for money, said: “I’m delighted we’ve managed to protect frontline services and keep the rise in council tax below the rate of increase in state pensions, despite immense pressure on public spending expected over the next few years.
“Our priority has been to support our residents as much as possible during these difficult economic times.”
The budget plans are expected to be approved by the Conservative cabinet on Tuesday December 8.
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