Bexley Council’s budget for the upcoming year, including a 3.99 per cent tax hike, is set to be decided next week.

The authority’s cabinet green-lighted the post-consultation budget at their meeting on February 25, meaning it will head to a full meeting of council for approval next week.

Cabinet members were told that the proposed budget would see a 3.99 per cent council tax rise, which would include a two per cent social care precept.

The move would see the authority break even this year.

Councillors were told the budget would see £170m spent on local services, with the majority going towards social care for children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Leader Tersea O’Neill said earlier in the meeting that the authority would continue to push for fairer funding from the Government.

“There’s lots more to do around lobbying going forward and we’re up for that,” she said

Cllr David Leaf, the cabinet member for resources, said the council tax increase would “still be in lower terms than what it was in 2006”.

Ahead of the meeting ending, leader of the Opposition Cllr Daniel Francis indicated Labour members would have more to say when the budget was introduced at full council.

“Clearly on our side we did raise our ongoing concerns about temporary accommodation and capital spend on it,” he said, referring to last year’s £1m overspend on temporary housing after a surge in homeless cases.

“Clearly there are ongoing concerns from our side about the pressures that put on our revenue budget and particularly the levels of affordable housing we continue to see come forward.”

The full meeting of council will take place on March 4.