South Glos budget passed with £36m in cuts and 5.99% council tax increase

On Wednesday the Conservatives on South Gloucestershire set a budget containing £36 million in cuts in 2019-2022, including over £16 million from adult and children's social services. This was despite a 5.99% council tax rise, including 3% for social care services.

Last week Claire Young chaired a detailed scrutiny of the budget where the Conservatives admitted they don't yet know how many of these cuts will be made. While the Liberal Democrats support some elements, such as the ongoing commitment to keeping free parking to support our town centres and  money for school improvement, we could not support a budget with so many holes and no proposals of how to fill them.

Councils across the country are being squeezed by the Conservative Government. An amendment, seconded by Claire, was passed noting with dismay the ongoing reduction in central government Settlement Funding for South Gloucestershire Council and its impact on the council's core spending power.

Budget - council tax up, services cut

Council tax will go up by 3.99% in the coming year, but services such as youth provision and libraries face cuts.

After funding from the Government had been slashed more than expected, at the last minute they offered South Glos some additional one-off money. The Liberal Democrats proposed using some of it to protect youth services and Chipping Sodbury library.

Instead, the Tories funnelled the cash into a 50p a month cut in the green bin charge, less than the price of a chocolate bar.

The Liberal Democrat amendment proposed maintaining the Positive Activities Fund for youth services at the current level, instead of the quarter million pound cuts proposed by the Tories. The youth fund will be cut for each of the next three years, meaning fewer sessions and activities for young people across South Gloucestershire. The amendment would also would have kept Chipping Sodbury Library open for an extra year, giving the local community more time to find a long term solution.

The Liberal Democrats believe in enabling everyone to fulfil their potential in life, whatever their background. Universal youth services are a vital part of this - reaching out to teenagers who may be alienated from school, offering health advice and emotional support and giving our young people a positive focus. The wider community also benefits from supporting our young people. Libraries too are about more than just access to books - they offer many other activities and services, including access to computers for people of all ages to use for studying, applying for jobs and accessing services.

The Conservative councillors largely remained silent, refusing to explain why they felt a small reduction in the green bin charge was more important than youth services, libraries, PCSOs on the beat and a whole string of other ways the money could have been spent. Before the election, we challenged them to explain what they would cut instead, now we know.

You can read how our local paper covered it here.

Changed circumstances? URGENT if you're claiming Single Person Discount on Council Tax

If you're claiming Single Person Discount on your Council Tax but your circumstances have changed, you have until Saturday 1st August to take advantage of a short amnesty to tell the council.

Maybe you are a single parent and one of your children has turned 18 or you've started renting a spare room out to a lodger. If you tell the council about this before Saturday 1st August the change will not be backdated to 1 April 2015. If you don't, action will be taken on any discount incorrectly claimed.

If you think this might apply to you - or if your circumstances have changed the other way and you think you could now be claiming Single Person Discount where you weren't before - you can call 01454 868003, email counciltax@southglos.gov.uk or call into one of the council's One Stop Shops.

Have your say on Council Tax Reduction Scheme

South Glos wants your views on proposed changes to the local Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS).

In April 2013, CTRS replaced the national council tax benefit. Depending on their income and other factors, people may be entitled to money off their council tax bill. With reduced funding, last year the council had to make some difficult decisions about how best to protect the most vulnerable. The scheme for 2014/15 placed people into 8 income bands with an 80% discount for the lowest income band and smaller discounts as you went up the bands. The Lib Dems successfully proposed giving the maximum discount to those who would have qualified for a disability premium under the old scheme.

The council is now consulting on further changes. It is proposing to reduce the number of income bands and also wants yor comments on whether young adults leaving care who are liable to pay council tax and are eligible for a reduction in their council tax should receive the maximum discount. Those would have qualified for a disability premium will still get the maximum discount. Older people who are eligible for state pension credit will continue to be assessed under a national scheme and will not be affected by the proposed changes.

The consultation runs until Monday 22 September. You can find out further information and comment online.

10p tax made simple - Steve Webb explains the changes

Steve Webb's blog explains the Government's latest tax changes.

Are you a winner or a loser? Are the Government's changes a one-off, or will they apply next year as well?

Just a thought, is this U-turn anything to do with the Crewe and Nantwich by-election?

But there will be 1.1 million people that still lose out - earning between just over £6,500 and £12,800 - so they are worse off than most of the people who gain from this week's changes.