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.
