Council passes budget for 2010-11
17 February 2010
Following today’s (Wednesday 17 February) full council meeting, South Gloucestershire Council has adopted a 2.5 per cent council tax increase and a budget of just under £190m for 2010/11.
The rise will mean the average band D property in South Gloucestershire will pay a council tax of £1,245.20. This represents an increase of just under 60 pence a week for council services, compared to 2009/10.
The budget provides for:
• An extra £2million a year to improve the maintenance of roads, pavements and drains in the district (including funding towards repairing potholes caused by the recent adverse weather)
• Around £1.2million for a transport concession scheme for young people aged 14 to 18-years-old
• An extra £650k towards safeguarding vulnerable children
• Maintaining concessionary fares for older people
• £600k a year extra for community care to reflect the increased client care numbers
• A reserve of £1.4million to help protect services in the future as funding reduces because of the current financial climate
Also, work is planned to start or conclude on a number of capital schemes in the next financial year (2010/11), including:
• A £12million community special school
• Around £10million towards two “hubs” providing a range of services for children and young people and their families in partnership with NHS South Gloucestershire
• Three multi-million pound extra care housing developments
• £2.5million refurbishment of Kingswood leisure centre
The council consulted widely, including holding public meetings and getting nearly 1,500 responses to a Viewpoint Panel survey – a representative sample of the views of South Gloucestershire residents. Around 60 per cent of respondents to the survey felt that the council provides good value for money, up 10 per cent on last year’s one.
