Labour leaders at Stoke-on-Trent City Council have the budget for the coming year - including a 4.99 per cent tax hike and a £16.8 million bailout. They say their budget will help stabilise the authority's finances without requiring compulsory redundancies or major cuts to frontline services.

But opposition Conservatives condemned the request, recently approved by government, for another £16.8 million of 'exceptional financial support' borrowing, accusing Labour of running a 'payday loan council'. Elected members voted 29 to 11 in favour of approving the budget at Tuesday's full council meeting.

The council tax rise - the maximum allowed without a referendum - will include two per cent ringfenced for adult social care. Band A households will pay an extra £53.85 to the city council in 2025/26, while Band D households will pay £80.75 more.

The budget also includes £7.5 million of savings, including £1.1 million of cuts affecting frontline services which were subject to a public consultation. These include plans to dim some streetlights and increase leisure centre charges.

Councillor Alastair Watson, cabinet member for financial sustainability, told the meeting that in 2023 the new Labour administration had inherited services which had suffered from years of austerity funding cuts.