Amid a lack of funding from central government, we’re pleased to announce a balanced budget for the next three years, including an additional £1m of investment in Children’s Services, along with various cost-of-living support measures.

It’s unclear whether the Conservatives will be continuing the Household Support Fund after March this year, so we’ve decided to prioritise various initiatives to help those who’re struggling just in case that money is ceasing.

Major investments from our budget include:

• An extra £1,055,000 for Children’s Services for 2024/25 to continue progress since the Improvement Notice from Ofsted was lifted

• Free School Meal vouchers for a week at Easter and a week of Summer, helping roughly 6,500 children

• Debt and benefits advice to an additional 680 complex cases, expected to secure an additional £2.5m in financial outcomes for residents

• A pilot scheme to help landlords reach current the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) for their properties

• A pilot scheme to expand youth services

• Energy efficiency measures such as radiator panels, draught proofing, LED lightbulbs, kettles, and slow cookers for eligible residents

• Support for Community Welcome Spaces, food banks, and community pantries will continue

• 1,000 warm packs to help people through Winter

Because of a lack of funding from central government, it is only possible to produce a balanced budget for the next year by making savings, using reserves, increasing Council Tax by 4.99%, and increasing some fees and charges. Examples include increasing green bin fees and introducing a £10 admin fee for Blue Badges, however this will only be bringing these fees in line with similar authorities.

Last year’s budget, put together by the previous Conservative administration, set an income generation target of £5m over three years to help balance the books. This can be found on Page 113, row XC9, of the reports pack published for February 2023 Full Council.

It is only after taking office that we found out this £5m figure was based largely on introducing some level of parking charges in South Gloucestershire. The Conservatives did not make this clear at the time, despite us asking for detail on what the £5m income generation could entail.

Details on what parking charges might be implemented are currently being worked up in consultation with residents however it will include some element of free parking across the district and will be phased to start with Council-owned car parks before reviewing on-street parking later.

Labour Group Leader and Council Co-Leader Ian Boulton said: “Putting this budget together hasn’t been easy, because of inadequate funding from the Conservative central government. Even their own MPs have started acknowledging the situation is unsustainable.

“We’ve had to be grown-up about this, making efficiencies where we can, and taking tough decisions in order to balance the books for the next three years.

“Alongside that though, we’ve been able to invest in some things that really matter: the future of our children and young people, and supporting the very poorest in our area. This is why I went into politics.

“A Labour government is promising a decade of national renewal to reverse the 14 years of decline we’ve had under the Conservatives and, frankly, it couldn’t come quickly enough.”

You can read the full budget document and appendices here.