Options to increase Council Tax next year (from April 2020-March 2021) have been put forward for public consultation.
Bristol City Council has today (Wednesday 23 October) launched a consultation on Council Tax for 2020 to 2021.
Every February, the council sets a budget for the next year which details how much money will be available to spend on each of the services the council provides. For the second year running the council is proposing a budget with no new cuts to service funding.
Options to increase Council Tax next year (from April 2020-March 2021) have been put forward to help cover some of the existing and emerging financial pressures the council faces in delivering services.
The options range from making no change to a 2% increase in the amount of Council Tax to cover the cost of general council services such as children’s services, waste and recycling, street lighting, parks, and addressing homelessness.
There is also a further option to add up to an additional 2% which would go towards the cost of adult social care. (This extra amount for adult social care is referred to by the government as an Adult Social Care Precept).
Cllr Craig Cheney, Deputy Mayor for Finance, Governance, Performance and Culture, said: “We are conscious of the impact of Council Tax increases on Bristol residents and continue to lean on the government to properly fund local councils and local services. Services such as supporting the elderly, children’s services and homelessness support continue to be under immense pressure and support some of the most vulnerable in society. With prices rising, a growing population and growth in demand for our services, our call to put in place sustainable funding for councils has never been stronger. In the absence of certainty around government funding, Council Tax remains an important means of funding and I urge people to give their views through this consultation. We will consider consultation responses in balancing the impact of increases in Council Tax with the need to run services and find other ways to generate income.”
You can give us your views on options to increase Council Tax, and options for an additional increase for Adult Social Care from April 2020 by completing the questionnaire at www.bristol.gov.uk/budget2020-2021.
Information can be provided in an alternative format by emailing consultation@bristol.gov.uk or calling 0117 922 2848. Paper copies also available at local libraries.