COUNCILLORS have backed a council tax rise of 1.97 per cent for this year.

The rise in Greenwich will see the council tax bill for an average Band D property go up from £1,265 to £1,290.

It includes the precept charged by the Mayor of London.

Greenwich Council leader Councillor Chris Roberts said: "We have an ongoing commitment to financial prudence and robust management of public finances and resources.

"This has enabled us to provide good value for money and pass on these benefits to our residents through consistently lower than London-average council tax increases over the past decade."

The council will spend £1m to set up a specialist police unit to tackle young crime in the borough.

It also plans to put £750,000 into its Cleansweep service to clean up problem areas, fund seven-day working, leaf cleaning and weed spraying and provide further improvements to the recycling service.