THE results of a public consultation into Newport City Council's budget proposals for 2018-2019, which includes a planned five per cent increase in council tax, will go before councillors next week.

The council's draft budget was released in December, with planned cuts to services totalling £7.4 million. Proposed cost-saving measures include closing all six public toilets run by the council and scrapping the city’s pupil referral unit, which deals with young people with social, emotional or behavioural difficulties, and setting up a dedicated school catering specifically for them.

And the results of a consultation into the proposals will be presented to the council's cabinet next week.

Although some small amendments have been made following the consultation, the majority of measures included in the original draft budget, including introducing parking charges at Belle Vue Park and decreasing the availability of face-to-face and phone services, remain on the cards.

A report to be presented to cabinet members said: "For a number of years we have faced continued financial pressures together with reducing funding allocations from central government, so we have had to find savings to meet the funding gap between the income we receive through our grants and council tax collection, and our expenditure on the wide variety of services we provide."

The report also said 416 people took part in the consultation, up from 343 last year.

The cabinet meeting on Wednesday, February 14, will begin at 4pm and is open to the public.

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