The opposition party has published its alternative budget plans ahead of tomorrow’s crunch meeting of the full council. Greens have also put forward four-year plans for a £2.875m “climate emergency fund” which will include projects on transport, food, energy and waste. To help improve under-fire health and social care services, the party is calling for more than £9m of additional funding and they want to borrow £80m in order to press ahead with a programme of six new high schools. Extra funding is also being proposed by Green councillors to tackle and prevent homelessness. Greens have also knocked back proposed spending cuts on nursery teachers and sports facilities, while wanting to use the extra funding flexibility over council tax agreed in Parliament in January. The Greens propose an extra 0.5 per cent on council tax for new schools and one per cent to increase social care funding: together these changes add 36p a week to average council tax bills next year. Green finance spokesperson, Cllr Gavin Corbett, said: “This is probably the most difficult budget that I have had to handle in my time as a councillor with real pressure on service spending. However, it is still important that the council invests in what Edinburgh needs, both now and in the future. “That includes the climate emergency with a real chance for Edinburgh to be a leader in doing what needs done before 2030. So the Green climate emergency fund can really force the pace in projects to change transport, to improve buildings, support local food markets and slashing waste. Within that, our commitment to build six new secondary schools can showcase 21st century buildings for young people to learn in.” The council is set to agree its budget for 2019/20 on Thursday. Green Cllr Claire Miller, who also sits on the finance and resources committee, added: “I am pleased that our budget is giving a big boost to funding for social care of older people, up from £199m currently to over £215m. It has been clear for years now that social care needs more money to tackle the backlog of people waiting for care but also to change services in the years ahead. “Equally, homelessness services are clearly in crisis in the city. Much more needs to be done on prevention and early action: better for people and better for future budgets.” Join our Facebook group Our Edinburgh to share images and news from and around the Capital