EXACTLY what households in Southampton will be paying next year in tax and what services residents can expect from the city council will be decided tonight.

Councillors are set to lock horns over the best way to manage a multi-million pound black hole when they meet tonight to discuss the Southampton City Council budget for 2016/17.

The ruling Labour party has set out its vision for the coming year, but that includes more than 200 jobs losses and cuts to council departments.

The savings and cutbacks mean Labour is proposing to introduce a 1.99 per cent council tax rise across the city, scaled back from the four per cent rise that was initially tabled.

Council leader Simon Letts said their plan for the future had to take into account a £39m budget gap for the coming financial year, and £90m over the next four years.

The budget black hole for 2016/17 effectively rises to £48m once extra pressures on its children and adult social care teams are taken into account.

Other cost-cutting measures include charging developers for the cost of new wheelie bins, cutting the park and open spaces teams and integrating the environmental health, trading standards and port health services teams.

Opponents have warned that the city is facing its worst year of cuts yet. The Tory opposition, led by Cllr Jeremy Moulton have warned of a "financial meltdown" and failing to put in place a lasting plan for the future, but labour has hit back with finance boss Cllr Mark Chaloner insisting his party 'had a plan'.

As previously reported 194 jobs are set to be axed in this year’s council budget, with up to 40 management posts also at risk.

On top of that a further 94 posts are also set to be made redundant over the next four years within the housing team.

The housing budget is also set for debate this evening but last night the council agreed to invest £7.7million in the ongoing Townhill Park regeneration project to go alongside a £50,000 grant from the Homes and Communities Agency.

As previously reported the £100m redevelopment of the Southampton estate is being held up by one resident and Labour civic chiefs are set to seize the remaining property after failing to reach an agreement with the owner.