COUNCIL tax in East Lothian would go up by three per cent from April 2017 under budget proposals due to be debated by councillors on Tuesday.

The ruling Labour/Conservative administration says it faces a £10million shortfall in its budget in the coming year due to an extremely tough Scottish Government settlement, making it increasingly difficult for the local authority to find money to pay for services and an increase in staff salaries and pensions.

However, raising council tax this financial year would have forced the council to introduce a 17 per cent hike in households' bills to cover the penalties the Scottish Government would have imposed for it breaching the five-year council tax freeze agreement.

That agreement ends on March 31, 2017 – allowing the local authority to introduce a rise, which it says will match the extra funding the Scottish Government gave it to compensate for the freeze during the deal.

The proposed three per cent rise in council tax from next year has also been included in the SNP opposition budget plans.

The administration's budget proposals also include plans to slash funding for community police officers in the county.

The council currently funds two sergeants and 11 officers in East Lothian with a £500,000 budget, but plans to cut that amount by a whopping £400,000.

The plans come as the Courier told how police plan to increase their community presence in East Lothian by reintroducing dedicated, named police officers in each council ward.

The council administration will argue that extra funding from the Scottish Government directly to Police Scotland for the coming year should mean they no longer have to pay their current bill for additional officers.

The Scottish Government announced an extra £55million for Police Scotland in the next financial year in its budget, plus an additional £100million over each year of the next Scottish Parliament.

However, Councillor Stuart Currie, SNP opposition leader at East Lothian Council, will question whether the cuts to community-funded officers will impact on the plans to introduce more community-based officers, including two dedicated school link constables.

The council meets to set its budget at 10am on Tuesday, in the Town House in Haddington.

Key proposals in the administration budget include - £1.11million investment in Whitecraig Community Centre over three years as well as £600,000 for sports centres to be refurbished and equipped over next three years.

A £1million investment for residential care home provision for Esk Green/Abbey, Musselburgh is promised subject to a council review of its Older people Strategy

£640,000 has been set aside for Prestongrange Museum.

£600,000 is pledged for parking improvements over the next three years including North Berwick phase 1 with a further £270,000 for purchasing bans and food waste collection.

Huge investment in schools has been outlined, including £16million for a new Wallyford Primary School over three years, £10.18million for Dunbar Grammar School over four years and £9.37million for Law Primary School in North Berwick.

£400,000 has been set aside for East Saltoun Primary School/community hall over the next financial year.