EAST Lothian Council has pledged to spend £100million on schools and communities over the next three years as it faces growing demands due to new residents.

The Labour/Conservative council administration's budget for the next three years sees major investment in infrastructure, with an estimated £16million for roads, as well as millions of pounds for schools and community buildings.

However, it revealed £1.2million would need to be cut from staffing costs by 2019, despite a pledge not to axe any jobs in the coming financial year.

The budget also sees a dramatic cut to the funds the council currently pays Police Scotland for additional officers, from £500,000 to just £100,000.

Costs for some services are also likely to go up, with the council administration looking to recoup funds through increased burial charges, entrance fees to museums and arts venues, as well as reducing its payments to enjoyleisure, which runs sports venues in the county, by £100,000 in the coming year.

And it confirmed council tax will see its first rise in a decade from 2017, when it will go up by 3 per cent.

Councillor Willie Innes (Lab), council leader, blamed the Scottish Government's decision to reduce grants to local authorities for putting the council under pressure to make cuts.

He said the council budget was only possible because they had taken £3million out of their reserves to cover the shortfall in Government funding.

He said: "In common with other local authorities across the country, we are facing serious financial challenges in the years ahead as a result of unacceptable cuts imposed by the Scottish Government.

"The challenges placed upon the council by an increasing population are recognised with the need to balance required infrastructure whilst retaining the unique identity of our local communities.

"I strongly believe our budget will continue to support our communities and protect the most vulnerable from the austerity measures being imposed upon us."

The decision to cut police funding was heavily criticised by the SNP opposition party, who branded the administration's budget "disgraceful".

And they dismissed the plans to invest in more capital spending, dubbing the council leaders a council who could not spend.

Councillor Stuart Currie, SNP council opposition leader, said: "This is a council who cannot spend the money it sets aside; it underspent its budget by £3million over the last financial year.

"You say 'we are going to build', yet not a single planning application has been submitted."

For full details of the East Lothian Council budget and reaction, see this week's Courier, out on Thursday.