Council tax in South Gloucestershire will increase by 4.99 percent from April 2024 after councillors approved next year’s budget. The financial plan includes “investing in cost-of-living support”, as well as taking action on climate change and helping residents cut down on their energy bills.
The latest increase comes on the heels of an identical hike of 4.99 percent that took effect from April 2023. The figure once again includes a 2 percent adult social care precept, the maximum permitted by central government.
Parking charges are now set to be introduced at many South Gloucestershire Council parks across the district, which are currently free. The changes are hoped to raise £1.5 million a year for the cash-stricken council, to help pay for rising costs of providing services like social care.
Fees for having a garden waste bin collected will also double, from £30 to £60, to help balance the books. The budget for the next financial year, which begins this April, was passed by a majority vote during a full council meeting on Wednesday 21st February 2024.
Cllr Claire Young, the Liberal Democrat council leader, said:
“There have been significant financial challenges facing the council and the wider local government sector. There’s been a woeful lack of funding from the Conservative government in Westminster, and this has led to us making some difficult decisions.”
“Despite the challenges thrown at us, we are delivering on our twin goals of action on the cost of living and climate crises for the people of South Gloucestershire. This budget prioritises the wellbeing of people in need, aiming to provide essential cost-of-living support while upholding crucial services and taking decisive action against the climate and nature emergencies.”
She added the council was planning to invest in sports activities for secondary schools, energy efficiency measures to cut heating bills, and free meal vouchers for pupils during school holidays. This is the first budget put forward by the new Liberal Democrat-Labour coalition, following the local elections in May 2023.
Conservative opposition councillors criticised the financial plan, as many people responding to a public consultation opposed the parking charges and higher fees for garden waste bins. They urged the coalition leaders to find ways to save money elsewhere in the council’s budget.
Cllr Samuel Bromiley, leader of the Conservative group, said:
“The reality of this budget is clear: new and increased charges heaped on residents; a complete failure to identify new efficiency savings; proposed investments that have been poorly thought through; and a clear message to local people that their views matter not one iota.”
“Your priorities are wrong and you’ve tried to cover yourselves in the smokescreen of blaming national government, but residents can see through this. They’ve told us that they don’t want parking charges, but parking charges are what they’ll get. They’ve said they don’t want to pay higher fees for green waste, but higher fees are what they’ll get too.”
Additional contributions
In addition to the South Gloucestershire element, bills that will be coming through letterboxes in the coming days will include contributions to Avon and Somerset Police (up 4.88 percent), Avon Fire & Rescue Service (up 2.99 percent) and the precept raised by the relevant parish or town council.
Total demands for those living in a Band D property range from £2,182.39 in Tortworth to £2,3501.91 in Filton.
Related links
- Budget 2024/25 Consultation Summary Report (SGC) [PDF; 729kB]
- Agenda and reports for the council meeting held on 21st February 2024 (SGC)
- Webcast of the council meeting held on 21st February 2024 (SGC)
- Summary of 2024/25 council tax for charges for all parishes in South Gloucestershire (SGC) [PDF; 55kB]
- Council tax explained – where your money goes (SGC)
- Financial support for residents (SGC)
✍ Article by Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), with additional reporting by South Glos Post.
Just another Council pushing their own agenda and not caring about the people they are supposed to represent. They all pledged not to impose parking tariffs and yet even after the consultation which opposed them they implement them.
What’s the point in people spending time and effort to participate in the consultation if the council to what they want anyway?