Mark Meredith has set his first budget for Stoke-on-Trent

Councillors approved a 4.9% increase in council tax at a meeting on Monday and discussed 17 pages of recommendations on how to save the money.

Suggestions include not filling 70 vacant posts at the council and cutting back support for learning mentors to save �2.5m.

But a council spokesman said a decision over the 100 posts would not be made until after consultation with unions.

Driver fines

The council wants to make the savings over the next 12 months.

Other recommendations include charging blue badge holders an annual fee of �20, fining drivers who use bus lanes and not paying staff for the first three days of sickness.

The council tax increase will mean residents paying �30 extra for a band A property and �46 for a band D home.

Elected Mayor Mark Meredith said the savings and extra tax will be used to make the council "customer and citizen focused" with more spending on front line services.