Gloucestershire residents could face 5% council tax hike

Gloucestershire County Council plans to spend £609m in the next financial year

People in Gloucestershire could face higher council tax bills next year.

Gloucestershire County Council wants to raise council tax by 5% to bring in an additional £37m of funding.

Budget papers show the council plans to spend £609m next year on measures such as filling potholes, new schools and disability support.

Council leader Mark Hawthorne described the budget as "ambitious" because the council is set to spend £42m more than last year.

Based on a band D property, the rise in council tax would see residents pay an additional £6.34 each month.

Council leader Mark Hawthorne said the council did not have to make dramatic cuts to services

The council said it would need to dip into its reserves to help fund the budget.

The local authority said this was a better strategy than trying to get a new bank loan.

But Liberal Democrat leader Ben Evans said taking money from reserves was a short term solution.

"The additional money, isn't actually additional money as we might think of it," said Mr Evans.

"All it is is trying to keep up with inflation and all the structural problems that this Conservative council has created for itself over the last 18 years they've been in power," he added.

Some £37.4m has been earmarked for a major upgrade of junction 10 of the M5 and the completion of the Arle Court Transport Hub on the western edge of Cheltenham.

The council said it would invest £37.4m to make improvements at junction 10 of the M5

The council is also proposing to allocate £19.8m to school improvements, including a new special school in Gloucester and a new primary school in Bishops Cleeve.

Plans would also see £1.3m invested into increasing the frequency and operating hours of 21 of the county's timetabled bus routes.

A total of £1.9m is proposed to be invested into tackling key road safety hotspots and providing specialist training to Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service.

The council also plans to continue the financial support for residents who have welcomed Ukrainian refugees into their homes.

Mr Hawthorne said the council was not planning dramatic cuts to services, unlike other councils who were struggling to balance the books.

Residents have been invited to share their opinions on the budget in a public consultation which is open until 11 January.

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