Weston Town Council has voted to approve its budget for this year.

Among the new policy objectives is the scrap of charges for public toilets, increased litter bins and more funding to tackle a rise in homelessness.

On January 26, the council set its budget of £2,631,385, for the next financial year, up from £2,612,270 for 2021/2022. This means the average band D property will pay £100.17 from April, an annual increase of 17p for the improved services the council will offer.

The council says the changes will be implemented within the next few months and represents a shift towards a sustainable future in the town.

Public toilets in Clarence Park, Grove Park, Ashcombe Park, Uphill and the Maltings will now be free of charge. The town council will also work with North Somerset Council to create a new toilet at the improved bus interchange on Alexandra Parade.

Bin facilities will also be improved across the town, with £10,000 of underspend being used to tackle littering in Weston, Worle and Uphill.

In a bid to tackle homelessness in the area, £50,000 will be set aside to support organisations who work closely with the homeless.

Both Labour and the Lib Dems voted to support the budget, with only the Conservative's voting against the proposals.

Town council leader, Cllr Alan Peak, said: "With energy bills on the increase, inflation over five per cent and a planned rise in National Insurance, residents are going to see their finances squeezed.

"To support residents through this cost of living crisis we have kept the precept low and below inflation."

Proposing these initiatives was Cllr Helen Thornton, she said: "The majority of these policies will be funded by using underspend in the Town Council’s existing budget, and tackle some of the long standing concerns of residents.

"No longer will residents have to pay to use town council toilets and we will begin to provide more bins to tackle litter.

"Since 2019, the council has also declared a climate emergency, become a living wage employer and has recently helped Weston achieve its Fair Trade status.

"We have also funded the first Street Art Festival in Weston and part-funded the community fridge that’s just opened in the Sovereign Centre."