West Lothian Council residents facing a 5.8 per cent hike in council tax

A Labour motion also withdrew high-profile cuts including charging for garden waste collection and changes to school transport. School crossing patrols and festive lights funding have also been saved.

Still on the agenda are closures of community centres and cuts in recycling centre hours, though all five will remain open.

West Lothian Leisure will have to move to self funding and changes in the way council services are delivered will go ahead, as will the removal of the animal attraction at Beecraigs. The concessionary rail scheme will also end.

The council agreement voted through the 5.8 per cent council tax increase, which equates to an extra £1.47 per week for a band D property. It will generate an income of £5.431 million in 2023 to 2024.

A spokesman said the money will be spent on delivering, protecting and improving local services in West Lothian and to prevent a number of proposed service-saving measures being implemented.

There are discounts and exemptions in place to reduce council tax for the most vulnerable in society, including the council tax reduction scheme.

There are 81,052 chargeable homes in West Lothian. Of those 13,953 households are in receipt of a council tax reduction of which 11,279 are in receipt of a 100 per cent reduction.

An extra 900 houses are scheduled to be built per year so that will see 4500 extra homes paying council tax in five years time.

SNP Councillor Willie Boyle warned Labour the 5.8 per cent increase “would come back to haunt them.”

Council leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick, presenting the Labour motion, criticised what he claimed was disdain shown by the Scottish Government for local authorities and the harsh budget settlement imposed on councils.

He added: “I strongly believe the SNP Government has given up any pretence of partnership working or recognition of councils’ legitimate authority to make decisions on services they deliver on behalf of valued local communities.

“Had no cuts to council budgets been agreed council tax would have had to have increased by more than 30 per cent and many households would be worse off under SNP proposals to bring in a £35 charge for brown bins with a four per cent council tax rise which would cost more than no charge and a 5.8 per cent increase for properties up to and including Band E.

“Despite the immense financial challenges facing the council, myself and my Labour colleagues have done all we can to ensure a budget has been set for the coming financial year that will provide for the people of West Lothian.”

Public consultation on council spending brought responses from just over 5000 people. Council officials pointed out in earlier meetings and reasserted their claim that the response was the best ever to a consultation.

The SNP dismissed that, saying that 5045 responses simply showed how diabolical public engagement is.

The Labour motion in favour of the budget was passed by 17 votes to 14.