COUNCIL tax has been frozen for the sixth year in a row, although residents will see a rise in bills for Greater Manchester mayor and police precepts.

Meanwhile, new funding initiatives – including a £10m cash pot to boost town centres and £3m to repair potholes – have been unveiled by council bosses.

A £1m scheme to provide extra activities for borough schoolchildren was also announced by leader David Molyneux.

They come as part of the Labour administration’s budget for 2019/20, including the council tax freeze, which was approved by the full council on Wednesday night.

The council is one of only two authorities across the country not to impose a rise in its part of tax bills this year, although residents will see increases for the Greater Manchester mayor and police precepts.

The financial plan includes no cuts to frontline services despite the town hall setting itself a savings target of £8.5m for the year, part of £160m cut from its budget by 2020.

In a statement Cllr Molyneux said: “We are now in a position where we don’t need to make any further cuts to frontline services, we will have the lowest council tax in GM, and we’re investing money in our town centres.

“We are choosing to freeze council tax for the sixth year despite us being the third worst affected authority by government cuts in 2010.”

The new funding initiatives are a result of the town hall listening to feedback from a recent consultation on its long-term plans, the council leader said.

A £10m fund for town centres – not just Wigan and Leigh – is aimed at ‘kick-starting regeneration and supporting local businesses’ in a challenging era for the high street, the town hall has said.

It comes in addition to plans to extend free weekend parking in Leigh and Wigan for another year.

Cllr Molyneux added: “We are doing our bit and I would appeal to the public to do their bit by buying locally from their local town centre.

“If we value or town centres and are concerned about their future then we have to use them ourselves.”

The £3.3m earmarked to fix potholes and repair highways will supplement £1.7m of government funding, with Cllr Molyneux acknowledging the state of the borough’s roads are a real concern for residents.

And an extra £1m will be available to borough schools to fund extra activities for youngsters, from sports and dance classes to cooking and digital learning.

Cllr Molyneux added: “Budgets are tight for many schools which can limit the extra-curricular activities schools are able to support.

“I wanted through The Deal to give schools the opportunity to put on these enrichment activities which can have a really positive effect on our children and young people.”

Conservative group leader Michael Winstanley said he welcomed the investment in town centres as it is similar to a proposal put forward by the Tories in 2016.

His amendment calling for the town hall’s Borough Life magazine to become digital to save on distribution costs was voted down.

The budget – supported by Cllr Winstanley and his fellow Tory members – was approved by 63 to two with one abstention.