Plymouth: Council approve 4.99% tax increase

Plymouth was later than most other councils in agreeing its budget

Plymouth City Council has approved a council tax increase of 4.99 per cent, increases in Tamar Bridge tolls and a balanced budget.

Council leader Tudor Evans said raising council tax to the maximum is "necessary" because of government funding cuts.

Plymouth was later than most other councils in agreeing its budget.

Some £25 million of extra funding has also been set aside for vital services in 2024/25.

Councillor Evans said Labour had stabilised local government in Plymouth but that it had been "a hard task to get there".

He said the finance team had been "amazing" in making millions of pounds of savings but still producing an "ambitious" budget which had adapted to changing times.

With the budget setting deadline looming on Monday, the team had been waiting to resolve an issue from 2019 - when it borrowed millions of pounds to wipe out a shortfall in its pension fund, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The Tamar Bridge toll increases from £2.60 to £3 and £1.30 to £1.50 were approved, but these will be amended or scrapped if the government agrees to fund the crossing.

Cabinet member for finance Mark Lowry said debts are being cleared.

"We are starting afresh. I'm fed up with the debt," he said.

"Let's deliver the service and give the staff the support they need today and it will be better tomorrow."