A DEAL has been struck between Labour and the SNP to save two Inverclyde pools in return for a near five per cent hike in council tax.

Council leader Stephen McCabe and nationalist counterpart Chris McEleny have reached an agreement to ensure the swimming baths in Port Glasgow and the historic Gourock outdoor facility remain open.

The deal also includes an extension of free school meals to children in primary four, a continuation of free swimming for under-16s and ongoing subsidies for U19 sports teams.

Mr McEleny was initially against raising the levy by any more than three per cent but has done a u-turn and his nationalist group will now back Mr McCabe and his Labour administration's plans to increase it by the full amount to raise an additional £525,000 to help protect jobs and services.

Councillor McCabe said: "I would hope that this agreement marks a new beginning in relations between our respective groups and that we can move forward in a spirit of constructive partnership working. "I have been impressed by the contributions that the new SNP councillors elected in 2017 have made to the council and their generally constructive approach.

"There is much more that unites us than divides us and I am sure that if we work better together it can only be to the benefit of our community."

In return for the SNP group's support for a 4.79 per cent council tax rise, Councillor McCabe will not support any proposal to close Port Glasgow or Gourock pools or cuts to U16's free swimming and U19 sports club subsidies.

The local authority leader will also request that £102,000 of the £525k raised from tax increase will used for the roll-out of universal school meals to P4 children.

Mr McEleny said: "The SNP group aim to achieve consensus where possible to protect vital frontline services and invest in the communities we were elected to serve.

"It was a key SNP pledge that we would work towards the extension of free school meals. "This is a policy that really does make a difference to children and I'm very pleased that through compromise we have been able to deliver this for families across all of Inverclyde."

Councillors will meet on Thursday to set the council tax for next year ahead of a budget meeting on March 21.

Should elected members vote in favour of a 4.79 per cent rise, they will still have to find around £2 million worth of savings from a £4.4m hit list, which includes the loss of up to 90 jobs, cuts to services and increased charges.