Council chiefs in Southampton have agreed to raise tax in the city by almost five percent.

Job losses, fortnightly bin collections and the 4.99 per cent rise in council tax will all be implemented during the next three years after civic chiefs agreed the city’s new budget yesterday afternoon.

A charged meeting at Southampton Civic Centre saw verbal blows traded between Labour and Conservative councillors, before the vote was pushed through.

The three-year financial strategy comprises £42.3million of savings up to 2019/20 to plug a black hole in the authority’s finances.

The lion’s share of the savings (£24.6m) will be forced through during the financial year 2017/18.

The authority has already slashed £92.4million from its budget in the past five years.

Council tax will be hiked up by 4.99 per cent meaning an increase of £1.28 per week - or £66.56 a year - for residents in a Band D property.

Fortnightly bin collections will also be introduced in a move it is claimed to save the authority £800,000 per year.

More than 60 council jobs will be axed as part of the cuts, with 44 filled posts and 18 vacant or temporarily-filled posts set for the chop.

The jobs will be cut from the council's finance, housing and communications sector.

The plans will also see the way adult social care teams work be restricted to save the authority up to £3.6 million a year.

Speaking at today’s meeting, Southampton City Council Labour leader Simon Letts said the current bin collections in the city could barely be afforded.

Councillor Letts also revealed that the council has a “one-off” £2.3million pot of investment to plough into Southampton’s capital.

The cash would be made available from £3million-worth of council reserves set aside to mitigate against the risk of the authority losing appeals from companies about their business rates, explained Councillor Letts.

The increased spending includes: • £1.55million in the city’s road network, mostly on small residential roads.

• £500,000 into pavement improvements, especially pathways which link elderly people with bus stops and shops.

• £250,000 will go towards small local improvements nominated by local councillors.

• Funding towards the first part of the council’s Cycling Plan, which encourages more people to get on their bikes and be active, while lowering number of vehicles on the road.