Cllr Karen Kilgour, Leader of Newcastle City Council (Image: Iain Buist/Newcastle Chronicle)

A council tax rise and 75 job losses have been announced under multi-million pound budget cuts in Newcastle. Newcastle City Council has unveiled plans to slash £3.9 million from its spending next year, as it wrestles with spiralling costs for social care services.

The proposals include a council tax rise of 4.99% , which includes a 2% adult social care precept and is the maximum increase allowed without having to hold a referendum. Civic centre bosses say they will also cut 75 council jobs, just over one per cent of the workforce, under plans to “streamline” services and make more use of artificial intelligence (AI).

The council has warned that it will have to find savings totalling £40.1

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