By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
County taxpayers face more household bill hikes in April as civic chiefs have approved an almost five per cent council tax increase despite Shire Hall being solvent.
Gloucestershire County Council debated and approved the Conservatives’ budget proposals for 2025/26 at their meeting today (February 19).
The 4.99 per cent increase consists of 2.99 per cent general council tax increase plus a two per cent adult social care precept increase.
And it will result in the proportion of the council tax which pays for county council services for a band D property to rise from £1,599.82 to £1,679.65 – an increase of £79.83 per year.
The general fund revenue budget for the next year is more than £665m and the capital programme in the county provides future investment totalling £589.7m.
Council chiefs say the main capital investments relate to £320m for M5 improvements, bus routes, roads and cycle schemes, some £88.2m for schools and facilities for children which will pay for new special schools, upgrades and special educational needs and disability provision.
The council has also set aside £91.3m for corporate resources and £66.7m for adult services which includes paying for three brand new care homes.
A total of £23.1m has been allocated for capital investment in the fire and rescue service and £400k for public health.
Finance and property cabinet member Lynden Stowe (C, Campden-Vale) said the budget would be the envy of many of the council’s peers.
He said the budget would increase for adult social care services by nine per cent, nearly £18m more.
And the Tory proposals amounted to an increase for children services of 7.3 per cent to a total of more than £13m. He also said the budget had increased by over 60 per cent in recent years.
“This is a solvent council,” he said. “Our general reserves are up by 80 per cent in a period where the reserves of other authorities have plummeted.
“All of our directory departments will have increased budgets as of next year. None of our directorates are having cuts to their budgets.”
He also said the council is predicting a balanced spend or underspend by the end of the current fiscal year.
“That is without precedent in my time on this council,” he said.
“Those figures are helped by the sale of electricity generated at Javelin Park incinerator.”
He said the authority took it seriously when they considered increasing council tax and it was with a “heavy heart” that he asked councillors to back a 4.99 per cent hike from April.
Cllr Stowe also raised concerns over the general state of the economy across the UK which he felt “at best is flatlining”.
He claimed the county was under a “multi-directional attack” from the Government with pensioners, farmers and even pubs suffering as money was being diverted to metropolitan areas.
But Liberal Democrat group leader Lisa Spivey (South Cerney) said the Tory budget was that of an “uninspiring and tired administration”
She said her group offered a change from the “20 relentlessly disappointing years of Conservative control”.
She suggested changes to make the council proactive and not reactive and offered an “ambitious vision for Gloucestershire”.
And she said she would not be taking financial lectures from a party which nationally spent £700m on “not sending anyone to Rwanda and £10 billion on wasted personal protective equipment”.
And reminded the chamber the Tories had cut funding for local government since 2010 and set up local councils to fail.
She said the Conservative leadership at Shire Hall had also led to “crumbling roads, reports that put key services in requires improvement and generations of children stuck in cycles of depreciation”.
On the other hand, she said that the Lib Dems offered “real change and ambition for the county”.
The Lib Dems suggested up to £2.35m of extra spending for the budget.
This included one off investments of £300k in targeted youth worker pilot schemes in high needs areas over two years, £500k for cycle improvements for districts and three extra find and fix pothole gangs for £450k.
Their suggestions also included spending £500k extra in upgrades to the gully network and another £500k for pedestrian crossings and £100k for debt advice services.
Labour leader John Bloxsom (Rodborough) put forward amendments on behalf of his group.
These included £550k extra for councillors to solve pothole and highways issues in their areas and another £550k for investment in community projects.
They also suggested an extra £165k for youth worker projects, £50k for flood alleviation and £35k for community transport.
But during the debate, Cllr Bloxsom said his group would only keep the community investment fund proposal of £550k on the table during the debate on their amendments.
He said it was invaluable for grass roots projects, sports clubs and defibrillators across the county.
“We need to support grassroots projects as well as big countywide schemes,” he said. “
These little schemes can help address the quality of life, identity and community wellbeing and cohesion in the neighbourhood.”
Deputy leader Wendy Thomas (L, Dursley), who seconded the amendment, said she hoped all would back their “reasonable” suggestions.
The Green group’s proposals which total an extra spending of £420k were accepted by the Conservative group.
These include spending £100k to support the expansion of the successful waterscapes natural flood management project, through a grant to Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and £60k on repair, maintenance and energy efficiency upgrades at libraries.
The Green proposals also included an extra £50k for community climate change projects and another £50k to set up one or two “libraries of things” after a successful example in Charlton Kings.
Their proposals also include £50k to extend the term of the popular free bus pass initiative for veterans and a two year contract of £30k a year to engage a part time coordinator to manage the master composter volunteers and promote community composting initiatives
They also proposed allocating £50k to support a feasibility study considering the implementation of community car clubs in the county. Cllr Cate Cody (G, Tewkesbury) said the budget was not as Green as they would like it to be.
But said her group was pleased their amendments had been incorporated. “We will be supporting this year’s budget,” she said.
Council leader Stephen Davies (C, Hardwicke and Severn) said his group also put forward an amendment to address the issues raised by the Lib Dems and Labour by putting £500k towards gulley clearing, flood alleviation and Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.
And the Tories proposed an extra £430k on youth services, family hub network, to provide targeted additional services.
The Lib Dem and Labour amendments were voted down by the Conservatives and Independents with 28 votes to 20 votes from the Lib Dems and Labour with the four Greens abstaining.
The council voted to approve the Conservative budget with the Green amendments by 32 votes in favour, 13 against and six abstentions.
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Original post on the Gloucestershire News Centre website
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