MULTI-MILLION pound investments are set to boost Hampshire’s economy over the next years but council tax is to increase.

Hampshire County Council is planning to invest a total of £386.5m in roads, transport and children and adult social care services over the next three years.

The news comes as the authority has revealed its  budget for 2020/21 and the proposed investment until 2023.

According to the proposals for the 2020/21 budget, there would be a total 3.99 per cent increase in the county council’s council tax precept – of which 2% would be specifically for adults’ social care.

The proposed increase will see the council tax for a Band D property increase

by £49.41 per annum to £1,286.28.

The total income from council tax in 2020/21 is expected to be just over £668m, a document revealed.

This represents  84.3% of the total funding of the county council’s net budget.

As part of the 2020/21 budget, the county council is also proposing to invest up to £2m to tackle climate change and  an extra £3m to maintain roads.

A total of £481m would be invested in adult social care and health services while an extra £22m would be invested in children’s services.

Overall these two departments will see a total of £1.443,000 and £115,722,000 cash boost respectively over the next three years.

Meanwhile a total of £56m will be invested in environment and transport between 2020 and 2023, with a £27m investment planned for 2020/21.

The authority is anticipating the cost of running adult social care services in 2020/21 to be around £400m and the cost of running schools to be around £900m.

As regards the investment for the next three years civic chiefs are also pledging to invest £94.8m for new and extended school buildings in Hampshire; £115.8m for structural maintenance and improvement of roads and bridges and £107.7m for major improvement of school and county council building.

More than £10m is also set to be spent on cycle and walking facilities.

The budget comes as the authority has already announced its plans to save £80m by 2021.

As reported this could mean the loss of hundreds of jobs and the closure of ten libraries.

Cllr Keith Mans, county council leader, said: “This year’s budget plans follow on from our meticulous financial planning over the autumn. These aim to deliver the first of a two-year strategy to address an anticipated shortfall of a further £80 million in the County Council’s revenue budget by April 2021 – the expenditure needed to run the County Council and deliver local services to the people of Hampshire.  Securing savings early, reinvesting in more efficient ways of working and using reserves prudently has served us well to date. This approach has enabled the County Council to remain in a strong financial position, and continue to deliver high performing services to residents – in the face of relentless pressure on our budgets. ”

Cabinet members will now discuss the budget at a meeting set to be held on Monday February 3, while the final decision on the proposals will be made by full council on February 13.