COUNCIL tenants will be up to £250 worse off each year after rent and council tax rises come into effect, it has been claimed.

An annual rent rise of five per cent, approved by East Lothian Council this week, on top of the decision to increase council tax to the maximum 4.79 per cent, will see tenants’ costs increase.

SNP councillor Neil Gilbert claimed on Twitter the decision would hit tenants in Band D housing with additional bills of £250 in the coming year.

His claim came after the SNP Group called on the council’s administration to reduce the proposed rent increase for the coming year to 3.7 per cent – inflation plus one per cent.

The annual rent review proposed continuing with the yearly five per cent rise, which has been approved at every budget since 2015, for another five years.

Putting forward an amendment to the rent increase, Councillor  Stuart Currie, leader of the SNP Group, argued that a lower increase was fairer given people’s current wages.

Mr Currie said: “It takes into account what people are seeing in wages and other payments they receive. It still maintains the surplus in housing accounts.”

East Lothian Council carried out a public consultation among residents who were asked whether they agreed with a five per cent increase in the coming years. Of the 14 per cent of council tenants who responded, a massive 78 per cent backed the increase.

Councillor Jim Goodfellow, housing convenor, said tenants had given their support to the increase.

He said: “It will still mean East Lothian will remain one of the lowest rents in Scotland.”

He also pointed out it would allow for £12million to be spent on modernisation and extensions of council properties in the coming year and £19million for new council housing.

Councillor Jane Henderson, Conservative Leader of the Opposition, said that while the SNP’s proposal was a “very reasonable representation”, she would support the administration’s five per cent increase.