fromevalleyvoice www.fromevalleyvoice.co.uk
November, 2020 Issue 85
SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNCIL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT
Have your say on South Gloucestershire Council Budget SOUTH Gloucestershire Council is inviting residents, council tax and business rate payers to have their say on its budget and council tax for 2021/22.This is your opportunity to comment on the council’s priorities, council tax and its proposals to improve services and increase efficiency.
Changes To ensure sustainable services that continue to provide value for money, the council is proposing to repeat last year’s council tax increase of 1.99 per cent. This will help cover increased costs in providing services, coupled with an expected adult social care precept of two per cent. This will help meet the continued growth in demand for services, particularly those that support the most vulnerable. These changes will mean an increase of approximately £61.58 per year in overall council tax bills (equivalent to £5.13 per month) for a Band D household.
Better value for money By the end of 2021/22, the council will have made cumulative savings of over £100m in annual spending through efficiency measures. Wherever possible, this work has prioritised protecting frontline services from spending reductions, while delivering better value for money to residents. The council is continuing to implement a Transformation and Savings Programme to help meet the budget challenges ahead but
even assuming the full savings plan is achieved, there is still a predicted budget gap of £22.5m by 2022/23. The council is identifying further potential savings to balance the books. It continues to make the case to Government for additional funding for areas of work where demand and costs of delivering those services are rising significantly.
View from the Leader of South Gloucestershire Council, Cllr Toby Savage
Balancing the books South Gloucestershire Council Cabinet Member for Resources, Councillor Ben Burton, said: “Our top priorities are to deliver the best possible educational outcomes for all of our young people; to maintain and improve the places where we live; and to achieve the very best value for money. “We have been delivering millions in support to residents and to businesses who are impacted by Covid-19 and it will have an ongoing effect on our budget. This draft budget sets out how we would like South Gloucestershire to recover from Covid-19 and to continue to be such a wonderful place to live, work and visit. As demand for services needed by the most vulnerable, the young and the old increases, we need to deliver those services and ensure we get value for every pound we spend, and balance the books. This why each year we ask residents to have their say as we plan for the future.” Continued on next page.
WELCOME - We’re very proud to partner with The Voice, a great local business, for this special edition. We bring you news on our budget and council tax and invite you to have your say. We have also included our new Council Plan and update you on support for those struggling with Covid-19. Unfortunately, coronavirus cases are rising here and if we are to avoid stricter measures, protect ourselves and our loved ones and keep South Gloucestershire safe, we must follow government guidance. Remember: Hands, Face, Space. Thank you all for your hard work so far and continuing support.