People in Norwich will have to pay about a penny a day more into City Hall's coffers, after councillors agreed to a 1.95pc increase in council tax.

But leaders at Norwich City Council said the increase in its share of the bill from April was necessary to protect key services, such as waste collections, street cleaning and looking after parks and open spaces.

For the third year in a row, the government had offered authorities a grant in return for not increasing council tax. Leaders at City Hall took the grant in the last two years, but said they cannot afford to do so again.

They say a consultation carried out last year showed 57.4pc of people who responded supported an increase in council tax, with the most favoured use of the cash raised to protect key council services.

The city council agreed the council tax increase as part of its 2013/14 budget, which includes making about £2.5m worth of savings, at a meeting at City Hall tonight.

The city council's 1.95pc increase would mean, from April, somebody living in a Band D property in Norwich would have to pay £230.27 into City Hall's coffers, an increase of £4.40 on the current level.

See tomorrow's paper for the full story.