Council Tax for our services is set to rise by less than 10p per week
Published: Friday, 26 February, 2021
A council tax rise of less than 10p per week for the coming year has been approved by Stroud District Council.
The budget for the forthcoming year includes £1.1million for projects relating to the coronavirus pandemic, £109,000 for regeneration projects, £115,000 for economic recovery, £60,000 for a strategy for wider benefits of the canal restoration projects, £20,000 on partnerships to develop community hubs and an extra £113,000 to support the council’s aim to make the whole district carbon neutral by 2030 which includes retrofitting energy-saving measures in Council and private homes.
There is also £3.6million of capital works for environmental schemes including green homes, water source heating and promoting cycling schemes. The New Homes programme continues with £31million in allocated funding.
Stroud District Council and the area it covers were rated well above the national average in the most recent residents and businesses satisfaction survey, and its Corporate Delivery Plan focuses on five key areas - economy, affordable housing, environment, health and wellbeing, and value for money.
“Stroud District Council has and will continue to support its 118,000 residents through the pandemic and beyond which is why we have allocated money to dealing with the effects now, and towards recovery,” said Council Leader Doina Cornell (Labour). “The budget underlines our commitment to our communities and our environment. We recognise but this is a very difficult time for many, and we have again kept the rise to a very modest amount.”
Although Stroud District Council collects council tax for Gloucestershire County Council, The Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire and parish and town councils in the Stroud district, only around 10% of the bill pays for Stroud District Council services.
“As a Council we are striving for the whole district to be carbon neutral by 2030 and so we have allocated more funds to make sure this happens,” said Green group leader Martin Whiteside. “The budget clearly shows this council’s commitment to the environment.”
Gloucestershire County Council receives the largest share of the bill and this year it will increase it by 4.75% on a Band D home, The Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire has increased its rate for a Band D home by 4.99%, and parish and town councils increased their bill by an average of 1.91%.
A Band D household’s bill for Stroud District Council services will go up by 2.35%, to £217.52 per year, from April 2021.
The budget will help pay for services including protecting communities during the Coronavirus pandemic, waste and recycling, planning services, environmental health, parking, parks and recreation, leisure centres, a museum, canal restoration, animal welfare, benefits administration and advice, Covid business grants payments, elections, youth work, Selsley Common and Cam Peak and Long Down upkeep, and licensing and flood management.
“We provide a wide range of services and the budget reflects that, and the need to keep residents’ council tax bills as low as possible,” said Liberal Democrat group leader Ken Tucker.
The budget was approved at a Full Council meeting on Thursday, February 25.