RESIDENTS in Newport could see council tax increase by 3.7 per cent, after the council’s cabinet revised its draft proposals.

Newport council’s cabinet originally proposed a five per cent council tax increase, but today (February 22) a decision was made to reduce this to 3.7 per cent after feedback from the public consultation.

This proposed change is set to cost the council £753,000.

The final budget proposals will go to a full council meeting next week for a final decision.

The leader of the council Cllr Jane Mudd said that, by reducing the council tax increase, she was responding to what people had said in the consultation.

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She said the increase of five per cent would still leave Newport with one of the lowest rates in Wales.

Cllr Mudd said: “When I became leader, I promised to listen and that is what I, and my cabinet, have done.

“We understand that some people are struggling financially at the moment and the biggest response was to the planned council tax rise even through bills in Newport would still have been among the lowest in Wales and possibly the UK.

“We are recommending to full council that council tax next year should rise by 3.7 per cent instead of the proposed five per cent.

“This will mean we have £9 million less in funding than the Welsh average but I feel it will help many people, who do not qualify for council tax benefits, at this difficult time.

Cllr Mudd said that the feedback on the budget proposals was positive, aside from the council tax increase.

It was also announced that charges for non-household waste to be taken to recycling centres would not be in the final budget proposals.

Cllr Mudd said the council would invest around £828,000 in social care, which will be funded in part by the increase in the social care workforce grant.

The final budget proposals will now go before full council for a final decision next Tuesday (March 2).