RESIDENTS in Newport will be "distinctly unhappy" if plans to increase council tax by five per cent in April go ahead, the leader of the city's Conservative opposition group has said.

Newport City Council unveiled its draft budget for the 2018-2019 financial year yesterday, with cuts worth £7.4 million including closing all six public toilets run by the council, charging for parking at city parks and closing the pupil referral unit, which deals with young people with social, emotional or behavioural difficulties.

Speaking today, leader of the council's opposition Conservative group Cllr Matthew Evans said: "A lot of residents are going to be distinctly unhappy having to pay above-inflation increases, yet again."

The last time rates increased by five per cent, informally the maximum allowed by the Welsh Government in a single year, was in 2015. Rates increased by 3.9 per cent in 2016 and 3.5 per cent this year.

Cllr Evans also said the plans to cut toilets and charge for parking had already been met with opposition.

"I've already had a number of residents contact me concerned about the potential closure of the public toilets and the potential charging for parking in public space car parks," he said.

"I believe that's a bit of a smoke screen and they won't got ahead with it."

If the five per cent council tax increase goes ahead annual bills for band D properties in the city will increase by an average of £62.67.

A public consultation will be launched next week.

The council has made cuts of £41 million over the past five years and has predicted it will have to make another £30 million by 2022.

View the draft budget at newport.gov.uk/budget