People in Norwich will pay more in council tax to City Hall after a 1.99pc increase was agreed - and charges to park in Eaton and Waterloo park have moved a step nearer.

Labour-controlled Norwich City Council agreed its budget for the forthcoming year at a virtual meeting late on Tuesday night, with leaders saying it will pump almost £70m into homes, skills and infrastructure.

It includes a 1.99pc increase in the share of council tax which goes to City Hall.

Norwich Evening News: A 1.99pc increase in council tax paid to Norwich City Council has been agreed.A 1.99pc increase in council tax paid to Norwich City Council has been agreed. (Image: Archant)

That adds £5.36 a year to the bill for a Band D property, generating an annual £200,000 for the authority.

However, most homes in the city fall in Band A or B, which means an annual increase of £3.57 and £4.17, respectively.

Council leaders say the budget includes £18.5m to improve council homes, with millions more spent on new social housing and redeveloping sites.

But £2m of savings and income generation are included in the budget and Paul Kendrick, cabinet member for resources warned £11.8m would need to be saved by 2025/26.

Norwich Evening News: Paul Kendrick, Norwich City Council cabinet member for resources.Paul Kendrick, Norwich City Council cabinet member for resources. (Image: Archant)

Mr Kendrick said: "This is not a budget of cutbacks, it is a budget of investment - investment in our assets, our services and the people of Norwich."

The proposals for the next year include generating £50,000 by introducing parking charges at Eaton Park and Waterloo Park and £33,000 by selling or letting two or three community centres.

Norwich Evening News: The budget includes proposals to raise £50,000 by charging for parking in Eaton Park and Waterloo Park.The budget includes proposals to raise £50,000 by charging for parking in Eaton Park and Waterloo Park. (Image: ARCHANT EASTERN DAILY PRESS (01603) 772434)

The Liberal Democrats had tabled an amendment for the parking charge proposal, which has sparked controversy, to be put on ice for a year, but that was lost.

Judith Lubbock, Lib Dem councillor for Eaton, said: "Some people have to drive because they cannot walk the two miles from one side of Eaton to Eaton Park.

"Other people go to the park to exercise, so they might carry their croquet sticks and balls."

Labour councillors said feasibility studies would be carried out before the charges are brought in.

Also lost was a Green amendment, which called for more than £230,000 to be spent on a number of schemes.

Those included tackling fly-tipping, more street sweeping to stop leaves blocking drains, improvements to play equipment in Douro Place and Edinburgh Road and extra monitoring of CCTV cameras.

But Labour opposed that amendment, which would have been funded from reserves.

The council agreed a council tax reduction scheme, to help people on low incomes and/or certain welfare benefits.

Norfolk County Council rubber-stamped its 3.99pc increase in the share of council tax bills which go to County Hall on Monday.

The police and crime commissioner agreed a 5.68pc increase on the share of bills which go to Norfolk Constabulary earlier this month.

Combining all those increases, this is how much people in Norwich will pay in total in 2021/22: Band A £1,350.46; Band B £1,575.54; Band C £1,800.61; Band D £2,025.69; Band E £2,475.84; Band F £2,926; Band G £3,376.15; Band H £4,051.38.