ALMOST £4m is set to be invested in repairing and maintaining Southampton's Itchen Bridge, it has been revealed.

The bridge which was first opened in 1977 will undergo the works that are expected to cost £3.8m between 2023 and 2024 to improve its "longevity and performance".

It is also said that drainage and surfacing work would be included with the deigns for the project set to be drawn up in the coming year.

The move was announced by the City Council as part of its budget plans for the next financial year.

Leader of the council, Cllr Daniel Fitzhenry said: "What we're looking at doing is a range of works and improvements that will be scoping out over the coming months for delivery next financial year.

"We're due to do some repairs and maintenance on the bridge looking at the overall functionality and the safety as well so quite a comprehensive piece.

"It's a big asset and requires quite a lot of repairs endlessly to it. Ultimately the repairs into the Itchen Bridge are part of our investment plan into our city's infrastructure to ensure it is safe and fit for the future."

This comes as a further £5m has been committed to delivering road improvements across the city as well which would see further 20mph speed limits implemented and supported in the city.

There are also plans to freeze rents for council owned residential properties from April this year. The council currently owns 16,000 across the city.

Other items revealed for the coming year's budget were a freeze to council tax, £1.3m into waste and recycling provisions and a £500,000 investment in improving Mayflower Park between 2022 and 2023.

But following the meeting, leader of the opposition, Cllr Satvir Kaur, branded the budget an "unsustainable sticking plaster, which shows that the Conservatives have no real plan for our city’s future".

"We are seeing the investment into our district centres going from £30 million with Labour, to just £3m under the Conservatives; and Labour’s investment into building affordable council housing has more than halved, with the Tories giving no commitment to build any more council housing in the future.

"Southampton deserves a council committed to giving communities across our city a better future; creating a family city that is safer, greener and more affordable for everyone, where every community matters. It’s clear only Labour can deliver this.”

Cllr Chaloner, Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance, added: “I’m pleased to see the Tories listening to Labour and putting extra resources into waste after the absolute chaos we have had this year with missed bin collections. It is also encouraging that the Conservative council is continuing investment in projects that started under a Labour administration.

"However, there is clearly no serious long-term financial planning in this budget, leaving some concerning gaps that taxpayers will need to pick up in the future."