Controversial plans to close one of the world’s oldest golf courses and slash spending on public transport were rejected by councillors as they thrashed out a financial package for the next three years.
Perth and Kinross Council leader Ian Miller described the budget as the “most challenging and complex” in at least two decades.
Faced with having to make £5 million of savings over the next year, councillors agreed to a review of catering services and a shake-up of adult literacy education.
Savings of more than £830,000 will be made by transferring dozens of frontline “care at home” staff to external providers, while £100,000 can be saved by slashing the roads verge maintenance budget.
Although council tax remains frozen, it is likely to rise by 2% once the freeze ends next year.
However, proposals to axe the historic North Inch golf course to save about £100,000 a year and a reduction in public transport costs were rejected.
Calls to cut back on primary school swimming lessons and music tuition were also ruled out, as were planned reductions for leisure and culture partners Live Active Leisure and Horsecross Arts.
The SNP’s budget was voted in by 21-10 after an exhaustive, often heated, meeting of the full council.
Mr Miller, leader of the SNP administration, announced a £6 million investment in road repairs over the next three years.
He also revealed extra spending to “give every child the best start in life” with extra speech and language support for schoolchildren at a cost of £100,000 over the next two years.
A further £100,000 will be spent on the Citizen’s Advice Bureau to help them cope with a “significant” rise in inquiries. And £350,000 will be ploughed into developing tourism.
Mr Miller said: “For various reasons, this has been the most challenging and complex budget process I have experienced in my 20 years with the council.
“This is a budget for the future. It is a responsible, prudent budget which provides stability.
“It will continue to deliver sustainable, high-quality services. It is a budget which focuses on our commitments to the people of Perth and Kinross.”
Conservative councillors said the council had found itself “on the receiving end of John Swinney’s cuts” and was “expected to do more with less”.
The party’s local leader Mac Roberts, who also opposed the closure of North Inch, had called for an extra £1 million to be invested in Pitlochry Festival Theatre and another £1.7 million for a flood mitigation scheme.
“The effect of the SNP cuts to council funding means that there are many savings in future years we have to accept on paper,” he said.
“Hopefully, public concern will force the SNP to change their tune.”
In their amendment, Labour councillors rejected proposed savings of £2.1 million in education and children’s services and also called for community link workers to be saved. Group leader Alistair Munro said he was “particularly pleased” the North Inch golf course would not be closed.
In their paper, the Lib Dems called for Perth Harbour operations to be transferred to the private sector and £60,000 for speed activated road signs.