COUNCIL tax will rise by about 5 per cent, councillors look set to agree.

Residents will pay more to help fund a gap in adult social care budgets and invest in tackling climate change.

Labour councillors announced they would back the Green proposals at the city council’s budget meeting this evening.

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Councillor Daniel Yates, deputy leader of the Labour group, said: "We are damned if we raise this money but would be condemned if we didn’t and would be failing to address the needs of the most vulnerable.

"That’s why we will be supporting the nearly 5 per cent council tax rise tonight – not because we want to raise it but because we would be failing in our most important duty to the most vulnerable if we did not. It’s a tough choice but if you stand for council that’s in the unwritten job description."

Conservative councillors were against the rise, believing residents are already paying too much tax.

He said: “The proposed 4.99 per cent council tax increase is a hard pill to swallow when many of the forgotten middle who struggle to pay council tax, but aren’t eligible for support have likely already had a huge hit to their incomes.

“Whilst Green and Labour often say well it’s only £1.50 a week, that is a huge amount to some people.”

The Greens said those on low incomes are protected from any increase in payments.