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 annual budget. Council tax will rise by 4.99 per cent as expected, taking the authority’s portion of bills for middle Band D households up by £87.47 to £1,752.11.
The spending plans comprise £287million for day-to-day services, £132million on major capital and infrastructure projects and £267million to schools, skills and early learning. They include an extra £1million 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 £24million 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.
Read more: Garden waste collection fees price hike plans scrapped by South Gloucestershire Council
The Conservative administration accepted budget ideas from both opposition groups at the full council meeting on Wednesday evening (February 15), 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, £14million to improve the Castle and Marlwood CSET schools in Thornbury and £3million for more children’s homes.
Another £3million will fund a new community centre at Ladden Garden Village in Yate and £2.7million will go into community infrastructure improvements in the east of Emersons Green. More than £6.7million will be spent on Kingswood High Street and the Whitfield Tabernacle restoration, with £1.5million 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.
Read next:
South Gloucestershire Council green waste collection charges to nearly double amid £29m gap
Fears over pothole repair times as South Gloucestershire Council faces £29.3m gap
Warning South Bristol will become a 'bus desert' as 42 subsidised routes cut across region
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