COUNCIL tax will rise in East Lothian from April, with the largest households facing an increase of almost £600 a year.

East Lothian Council this week gave the go-ahead to introducing a three per cent rise in council tax annually for the next three financial years. The move will raise an additional £1.558 million a year for the local authority.

READ MORE: Council leader Willie Innes' budget speech in full

While council tax in lower band properties will increase by between £22 and £34 a year, higher band properties will pay significantly more as, in addition to the three per cent rise set by East Lothian Council, MSPs had previously approved plans to hike up charges in bands E to H.

This means householders in the top band in East Lothian, Band H, will face a whopping 26.18 per cent rise in council tax come April, with their bills increasing by £585.07 annually.

READ MORE: SNP group leader Councillor Stuart Currie's budget speech in full

The nationally-imposed increase will raise about £2.9million in additional funds for the local authority.

Councillor Willie Innes, council leader, said that the decision to increase council tax by three per cent at a local level had been taken in the wake of a cut on the direct funding the local authority receives from the Scottish Government of £2.9million and would be the equivalent of an additional 65p a week for people living in Band D housing.

At a meeting on Tuesday to set the budget for East Lothian Council, SNP opposition councillors said the additional revenue from council tax, which also rises by £750,000 this year because of additional houses which have been built, more than covered a reduction in funding from the Scottish Government for the local authority in the coming year.

However, Jim Lamond, East Lothian Council’s head of finance, cautioned that there was a difference between money from central government and the increased funds from a rise in council tax bills. He said: “It is important to make the distinction between money from Scottish Government and the money from our own local taxpayers.”

The three-year budget set by the council’s administration was approved at the meeting in the Town House in Haddington on Tuesday.

READ MORE: Deputy council leader Michael Veitch budget speech in full

An alternative budget proposal by SNP opposition councillors, which planned to introduce a one per cent council tax rise this coming year, moving up to three per cent gradually over three years, was rejected by a vote of 13 to 9, with one abstention (the Provost).

The approved administration budget includes plans to invest £97 million in school buildings and £144 million to be invested in council housing.

There are also plans to increase investment in adult wellbeing, which fell short of meeting its budget over this financial year, with a further £1.8million, and increase children’s services by £328,000.

The council is looking to cut its staffing budget by £1.85million over the three year period and plans efficiency savings of about £2.4million through a transformational change programme.

It is also planning to move £2.5million from reserves to balance the budget.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Mr Innes said: “There are a lot of exciting opportunities ahead for this council – the City Deal will have a significant impact, the introduction of the Local Development Plan and development of the Cockenzie Power Station site.

“There are opportunities that will create significant numbers of jobs and give the local economy a boost, but we need to ensure we are in a good financial position to take advantage of them.”

Councillor Stuart Currie, SNP opposition group leader, said his party’s alternative budget pledged more funds to adult wellbeing and children’s services, as well as reinstating £400,000 funds for police teams in East Lothian, which were slashed from last year’s budget by the council administration.

READ MORE: Councillor Peter MacKenzie's speech support the SNP budget in full

It also proposed plans to reduce the cost of using 3G pitches for community-run clubs, scrapping the council’s in-house newsletter, and investing £1million set aside by the administration to move Haddington Police Station into the former sheriff court building to make the building fit for community use instead.

He said: “We are proposing a budget that puts people and communities at its heart.”

The new council tax bills for 2017/2018 (including the three per cent rise set by East Lothian Council and the additional charges for Band E-H properties) are: l Band A – £767.43 (increase £22.35); l Band B – £895.34 (increase £26.08); l Band C – £1,023.24 (increase £29.80); l Band D – £1,151.15 (increase £33.53); l Band E – £1,512.48 (increase £146.50); l Band F – £1,870.62 (increase £256.28); l Band G – £2,254.33 (increase £391.63); l Band H – £2,820.31 (increase £585.07).

Meanwhile, Scottish Water has confirmed its water rates for the coming year, which will see a slight increase. Combined water and sewage bills for the coming year are: l Band A £287.04 (up £4.44); l Band B £334.88 (up £5.18); l Band C £382.72 (up £5.92); l Band D £430.56 (up £8.14); l Band E £526.24 (up £9.62); l Band F £621.92 (up £9.62); l Band G £717.60 (up £11.10); l Band H £861.12 (up £13.32).