NEWPORT councillors have approved a council tax rise of 2.4% from April as part of the budget for 2022/23.

This means Band C properties will have to pay an additional £2.21 a month in council tax.

The rise, which is lower than the 3.7% increase originally proposed by the authority, was approved at a full council meeting on Tuesday, March 1.

At the meeting, Labour councillor Deb Davies for Beechwood said the low increase recognised the increased costs that residents are currently facing.

Leader of the opposition group described the budget as a “pre-election giveaway” but said he was in support.

Conservative Councillor Matthew Evans, who represents Allt-yr-yn, added:

“I would like to recognise the extremely generous instalment the UK Government gave the Welsh Government to make sure this could happen.”

Independent councillor for Bettws, Kevin Whitehead, said:

“Maybe it is an election budget but it doesn’t matter, because it is a good budget.”

The budget outlines £8 million of investment in education and schools; £6.5 million in care, support and prevention services; and £420,000 for the prevention and addressing of homelessness.

Leader of the council, Cllr Jane Mudd, described the budget as one that “prioritises people and invests in place”.

More than £2.5 million is allocated to parks and green spaces, a sector the council recognised to have become more important since the emergence of the pandemic. This is funded by the underspend of the previous financial year.

Money will also be spent to “boost the city centre” (£420,000) and to tackle the issue of climate change (£200,000).

Deputy Leader of the council, Cllr Roger Jeavons, said:

“I truly believe that we are listening to the asks of the people of Newport.”