Plymouth councillors have agreed not to increase Council Tax this year but have approved a one per cent ‘precept’ to help cover budget pressures in adult social care.

The full Council on Monday agreed a motion to reduce the 2022/23 revenue budget by £2.1 million instead of increasing Council Tax.

Councillors approved a revenue budget of £197.7 million, as well as a five year capital programme totalling £688 million.

Most households in Council Tax bands A to D will be eligible for the £150 rebate being offered by the Government this year to help families manage the cost of living.

How much you pay

Under the Government’s ‘Living with COVID’ plans PCR and lateral flow testing will be scaled back from the end of this month. Free testing will no longer be available except for a number of at-risk groups and social care staff.

In the meantime lateral flow tests remain available from Plymouth libraries. Our mobile test site in the Place de Brest will be open this Saturday (5 March) and next Saturday (12 March).

COVID-19 rates in Plymouth are falling but remain higher than the England average. There are now 373 cases per 100,000 people compared to the England rate of 292.

The ending of the requirement to get tested if you have symptoms means in future we will not be able to publish COVID-19 rates for Plymouth.

If you have not yet had all your vaccinations, walk-in sessions continue to be available at a number of convenient locations around the city.

We know that the thoughts of many people in Plymouth are with the people of Ukraine as they suffer under this abhorrent act of war by the Russian government.

We have expressed our support by flying the national Ukrainian flag outside the Guildhall, while the City Centre Company lit Royal Parade in the Ukraine national colours.

We are also doing what we can to avoid purchasing items or services supplied from Russian companies, given the flagrant law-breaking of their own state.

Many people want to do something practical to help the citizens of Ukraine and we’ve put together a list of ways you can give your support.

Find out more

Mutley Plain is undergoing a makeover to give it a further boost as it re-establishes itself as a thriving independent quarter.

Improvement works under way include new lighting to brighten up the night-time atmosphere, as well as flags on lamp posts to give the Plain a little more colour.

An extensive cleaning programme is taking place and includes a full power wash of the pavements on both sides of the road from the Hyde Park pub to North Hill. There will also be new bins, complete with recycling facilities.

New seating will be installed and the historic benches outside the Swarthmore Adult Education Centre will be temporarily removed for refurbishment.

New signs will also welcome visitors at both ends of the Plain.

Plymouth's popular garden waste service will resume from Monday 4 April.

If you have not received garden waste collections before and would like to use the service, you can register now.

It’s really simple – just visit our website and follow the instructions. 

If you used the service last year and already have a bin, you do not need to register again.

If you didn’t receive the service last year and need help to register online you can ask someone else to register on your behalf.

If you live in rented accommodation and receive Housing Benefit or the housing costs element of Universal Credit, you may be eligible for extra help.

A Discretionary Housing Payment may be available if housing benefits you receive do not cover the rent you pay, or if you are in rent arrears or need to pay removal costs or rent in advance of moving.

Visit our website to check if you might be eligible or call 01752 668000.

Find out more

If your run a Plymouth business that was affected by the Omicron variant, there’s not much time left to apply for grant funding.

The Additional Restrictions Grant offers grants of £1,500 to certain types of businesses that have fixed business premises. 

There is a limited amount of funding remaining and applications are dealt with on a first-come, first-served basis, so if you’re eligible then please apply as quickly as possible. Visit our website to find out more.

An Omicron Hospitality and Leisure grant is available for rate-paying hospitality, accommodation and leisure businesses, with grants of up to £6,000 available. Applications for the scheme close on 18 March. Find out more.

If you are looking to improve your skills for work, or just learn for fun, our adult education and skills provider On Course South West is likely to have a course for you.

And they have now been given a seal of approval by Ofsted who rated their training as ‘good’ across the board.

Inspectors said learners receive high-quality and effective support and had been complimentary about the positive impact of their training and education. 

On Course South West transferred back to the Council two years ago, ensuring the city continues to help learners to develop skills and gain qualifications.

See courses