Labour representatives slammed central government funding cuts as Brent Council approved its latest budget.

It comfortably voted in favour of pushing through the financial plan for 2019/20, which will see overall spending reduced by almost £10 million.

Council tax will go up by 4.99 per cent – the maximum allowed without calling a local referendum – meaning the average Band D household will now pay £1,582.

Several Labour councillors, including the council leader Cllr Muhammed Butt and deputy leader Cllr Margaret McLennan, bemoaned the “tough decisions” needed to produce a balance budget.

They insisted that key services and “those which protect the most vulnerable residents” in Brent would be guarded.

And they were all scathing in their criticism of the Conservative government, hitting out at cuts to local authorities and overall austerity measures.

“It will impact on our residents, there’s no doubt about that,” Cllr Butt said.

“But I am proud of our council that will protect and deliver for every Brent resident in their time of need.

“We will make sure that social justice and empowering residents are first and foremost in what we do.

“Let’s take it forward and deliver on the services we promised on the doorstep.”

Cllr Tom Miller, responsible for community safety at Brent Council, said this year’s budget was the “toughest I have seen” in his time as a councillor.

And several councillors suggested that things will only get better if a Labour government is voted in.

The Conservative opposition in Brent, which is made up of just three councillors, did not put forward an alternative budget and lent its general support to the council’s proposals.

But both group leader Cllr Reg Colwill and Cllr Michael Maurice argued that the sitting administration should focus on collecting unpaid council tax – which they calculated at around £4 million – to “offset some of its problems”.

And Cllr Suresh Kansagra noted increased employment and wage figures in Brent under the current government, arguing that the doom and gloom suggestions put forward by his Labour colleagues were misplaced.