RESIDENTS of a Hampshire borough will see a 2.99 per cent rise in their council tax due to a cut in government funding, civic chiefs have revealed.

Gosport Borough Councillors approved a budget for the 2018/19 financial year, which sets out a council tax rise of less than 10p per week for a typical band B Gosport home.

It was revealed that over the last nine years, the main annual government grant to the council had shrunk from more than £7m to about £300,000 forcing the council to increase council tax.

Council leader Mark Hook, said: “To achieve a budget we will have to make important and difficult decisions.

“It is important we maintain and deliver all our frontline services.

“We continue to deliver for the people of Gosport, based on affordability, prudence and sustainability and this budget delivers on all three principles.”

However, it was also pointed out that Gosport would need to save another £825,000 by the year 2021/22.

Among the investments proposed in the budget included coastal flood and erosion schemes at Forton, Alverstoke and Seafields, improvements to council homes as well as more support for homeless people and rough sleepers.

But Councillor Peter Chegwyn, leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition, said: “The budget is grim reading for Gosport. The council is almost going bust due to a lack of funding from government.”