Projects included in the £65m capital budget that was agreed are:

• £12.6m on the schools and nurseries estate
• Almost £7.5m for roads improvements
• £4.6m towards vehicle replacements
• £2.3m on net zero projects
• Almost £2m for town and village centre improvements
• £1.3m to reinstate the collapsed Dunrod Road
• Just under £1m on cycling, walking and safer routes
• £670k on leisure pitches
• £383k for Waterfront Leisure Centre improvements
• £260k allocated for pavement upgrades and repairs.

Councillor Moran said: “Council services support all our lives every day in different ways. Everything we do matters and makes a difference in people’s lives here in Inverclyde. That’s why setting the council budget is so challenging.

“Year-on-year, local government grants have been cut, and Council Tax frozen or capped. This year we had a better settlement and a free hand to set Council Tax, which is very welcome, but let’s not forget our financial situation is caused by years of austerity. For 15 of the last 18 years Council Tax has been frozen or capped.

“It will come as no consolation to the people of Inverclyde that the 8.5 per cent increase in Council Tax here is less than the double-digit increases we are seeing in other local authority areas, which shows the scale of the financial crisis facing local government.

“The MBWG has worked hard over these past weeks and months to develop proposals that protects and invests in vital frontline services while keeping increases to Council Tax, fees and charges, and cuts to jobs and services to an absolute minimum.

“For most people, the weekly increase in Council Tax amounts to less than a cup of coffee and in return we are able to invest in children and families services to help support some of the most vulnerable young people in our community, deliver extra support for ASN initiatives, and provide additional help for those who are struggling financially through extra anti-poverty and employability funding.

“Today’s budget also means additional investment in our local roads network, specific funding for tourism to help generate inward investment and spend to support local businesses, and allows for further modernisation of council services.

“This is all on top of the ‘run-of-the-mill’ services being delivered day in, day out by talented and dedicated staff right across the council in our schools, libraries and community facilities and in our community through bin collections, street cleaning, and maintenance of park and grounds, to name a few.”