WINCHESTER policymakers approved proposals that halved planned rent increases for 5,099 council dwellings and hostels.

The city council had proposed a 6.14 per cent increase. But cabinet on Monday backed a 3.2 per cent rise because of the fall in inflation and a change in government formula for calculating rents.

However the council is now planning a bigger increase in service charges. This is allowed because the government caps combined rent and service charge increases.

Lib Dem Cllr Kelsie Learney warned tenants would see the reduction in rent increase “wiped out” by bigger service charges.