Councillors have approved budget plans that will see the average household pay almost £70 a year more in council tax.

The increase, which was approved by a large majority, will help plug a £19 million shortfall in Islington Council’s budget for the next year.

Last night’s meeting (February 29) also saw more than £10 million worth of savings given the go-ahead.

Two independent councillors abstained in the final vote on the proposals, and two Green councillors opposed the motion.

A core hike of 2.99% was ultimately approved by the authority for its share of council tax over the next financial year, with an extra 2% increase to help fund adult social care.

The increase would add £1.32 per week to the average Band D household's bill, or more than £68 over the year from April.

Currently, the Islington charge for these residents is £1,380.25 a year, but it will soon stand at £1,449.13.

The agreed savings in the budget will come from measures such as a voluntary redundancy scheme and the scrapping of free residential green garden waste collection in favour of an annual charge.

Almost £2 million worth of savings will be made within the adult social care system, including through the introduction of a seven day home care ‘recovery model’.

The scheme - called 'Take Home and Settle' - will see patients being assessed by social care workers at home, in some cases allowing hospitals to discharge them earlier on.  

Islington Council says that this supports its "commitment to strengths-based care" while making "best possible use of the council’s resources", delivering savings. 

Many of the Labour councillors who spoke at last night’s meeting blamed the need for savings on Government funding cuts.

Mildmay ward councillor Angelo Weekes said: “After 14 years, we are running out of road”.

Green party councillors had proposed an amendment to the Labour-run council’s budget, claiming they while they agreed with the proposed measures, councillors should be “more ambitious”.

This included increasing all parking permit charges for residents, so that the cheapest band for electric vehicles stood at £150 per year.

Currently, electric permit prices are as low as £100 a year for vehicles with the smallest battery size.

In his closing remarks in support of the budget, Islington’s executive member for finance Cllr Diarmaid Ward said that the authority was proud to be the “most progressive council in the country”.

He added that the council is “exhausting all resources available” to ensure residents receive high-quality services, but that it would not set an “irresponsible budget”.

The Green party amendment was voted down by councillors, with just two voting for it and two abstaining.