Crackdowns are being launched to tackle littering and landlords who fail to bring rented homes up to energy standards, after South Gloucestershire Council approved its budget for 2023/24.
As expected, council tax will rise by 4.99 percent from April 2023, taking the authority’s portion of bills for middle Band D households up by £87.47 to £1,752.11.
The spending plans comprise £287 million for day-to-day services, £132 million on major capital and infrastructure projects and £267 million to schools, skills and early learning.
They include an extra £1 million for road repairs, solar panels for all council buildings and the use of reserves to keep the 84/85 and 622 bus services running temporarily before they are expected to be axed as part of swingeing cuts to subsidised routes across the region from April amid a funding row.
But some council services are being reduced and charges increased, to plug a £24 million shortfall and balance the books for the next three years.
Opposition councillors warned that many of the savings are “hidden” behind reviews that need working through rather than finalised proposals.
The Conservative administration accepted budget ideas from both opposition groups at the full council meeting on Wednesday evening (15th February), with Labour securing a dedicated enforcement officer to make sure all private rented homes are brought up to minimum standards for warmth and energy efficiency.
The officer will identify and work with landlords whose properties are below an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C.
Current law requires homes to be at the lower grading of E but a bill going through parliament would raise this by two bands, which Labour says would make 5,700 houses and flats in South Gloucestershire non-compliant.
Group leader Cllr Pat Rooney said:
“We want residents to be healthy and happy, and being in a warm home is key to that.”
“But it’s also about the environment and making sure homes aren’t producing any more carbon than they need to.”
“Making sure homes in the private rented sector are warm enough and green enough is a full-time job, and we’re glad this council is making it just that.”
The Lib Dems won backing for action on climate change and the cost-of-living crisis with initiatives to help residents and businesses cut emissions.
Their spokesman for corporate resources, Cllr Jon Lean, said:
“While we support investments such as those in mending roads and the Frampton End Farm nature reserve, there were too many cuts in the budget hidden behind ‘reviews’’ where we just didn’t have the information of the potential impact to be able to support them.”
“I have concerns that a number of the cuts in this budget affect vulnerable people the most.”
“In a time of rising prices for all and even the increasing use of food banks, this budget removes support for some of the people most in need in our area – cuts to the preparing-for-adulthood service, cuts to the opening hours of One Stop Shops, cuts to wellbeing services that promote healthy lifestyles.”
“Coupled with the increase in council tax, residents will simply be paying more for less.”
But the Conservatives who run the authority said the budget protected the most vital frontline services and they had succeeded in balancing the spending plans despite rising demand on what it provides and soaring costs caused by Putin and the war in Ukraine.
Council leader Cllr Toby Savage said:
“These are tough financial times for the council, as they are for all our residents and businesses.”
“But I am pleased that we are able to set a budget that builds on our hard work in previous years and which continues to deliver on our priorities for residents and businesses across South Gloucestershire.”
“The council will continue to invest tens of millions of pounds in local schools to ensure record attainment levels continue and take decisive action to tackle the climate crisis.”
“We will build vital public transport infrastructure and invest in local high streets to ensure that our significant achievements over the past few years continue.”
The budget allocates funding for a new street enforcement team to tackle environmental crimes, such as littering and dog fouling, for two years following a pilot.
Capital schemes include £37 million for new primary and secondary schools in Lyde Green, £14 million to improve the Castle and Marlwood schools in Thornbury and £3 million for more children’s homes.
Another £3 million will fund a new community centre at Ladden Garden Village in Yate and £2.7 million will go into community infrastructure improvements in the east of Emersons Green.
More than £6.7 million will be spent on Kingswood High Street and the Whitfield Tabernacle restoration, with £1.5 million for walking and cycling routes across the district.
Original plans to increase the garden waste subscription from £30 to £55 and cuts to the street-care team and the Chipping Sodbury taxi marshals were withdrawn ahead of the meeting.
In addition to the South Gloucestershire element, bills that will be coming through letterboxes in the coming weeks will include contributions to Avon and Somerset Police (up 5.97 percent), Avon Fire & Rescue Service (up 6.41 percent) and the precept raised by the relevant parish or town council.
Total demands range from £2,080.52 in Tortworth to £2,398.52 in Filton.
Related links:
- Webcast of the council meeting held on 15th February 2023
- Summary of 2023/24 council tax for charges for all parishes in South Gloucestershire (SGC) [PDF; 57kB]
- Council tax explained – where your money goes (SGC)
✍️ Article by Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), with additional reporting by South Glos Post.
