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.
Showing posts with label budget. Show all posts
Showing posts with label budget. Show all posts
Friday, 16 February 2018
Monday, 20 November 2017
Tell the council your priorities
Over the last 6 years South Glos Council has already cut £63.6m from its annual budget and they're intending to cut another £10.5m per annum across 2018/19 and 2019/20. Even that leaves the council with a predicted hole of £15.7m by 2021/22 so watch out for more cuts being announced.
What do you think the council's priorities should be? Fill in the budget survey to let them know. Your Liberal Democrat Focus Team will be fighting to protect services for the most vulnerable.
What do you think the council's priorities should be? Fill in the budget survey to let them know. Your Liberal Democrat Focus Team will be fighting to protect services for the most vulnerable.
Friday, 13 January 2017
Council tax to increase for social care?
Have you had your say on the South Glos budget yet?
An extra question has now been added to the consultation. Last year South Glos took up the option to charge an extra 2% of council tax as an "adult social care precept" to go towards the spiralling costs of providing care to the vulnerable. It had been expected that this would continue at 2% for the following years but in December the Government announced a proposal that councils could introduce the rise sooner – so they could increase council tax by up to 3% in 2017/18 or 2018/19 but still could not exceed 6% in total over the three year period 2017-2020. South Glos want to know your views on this. You can have your say online until 23rd January.
It is hard to see how South Glos can plug the funding gap without taking up this proposal but the Liberal Democrats nationally do not think this is the answer to the crisis in social care. Using council tax to raise the money will disproportionately burden the less well off in our communities and poorer parts of the country will be less able to raise money in this way than wealthier ones. Led by our health spokesperson and former Health Minister Norman Lamb we are pushing for a cross-party agreement on funding for health and social care. Is it time to put a penny on income tax to secure the future of the NHS and social care?
An extra question has now been added to the consultation. Last year South Glos took up the option to charge an extra 2% of council tax as an "adult social care precept" to go towards the spiralling costs of providing care to the vulnerable. It had been expected that this would continue at 2% for the following years but in December the Government announced a proposal that councils could introduce the rise sooner – so they could increase council tax by up to 3% in 2017/18 or 2018/19 but still could not exceed 6% in total over the three year period 2017-2020. South Glos want to know your views on this. You can have your say online until 23rd January.
It is hard to see how South Glos can plug the funding gap without taking up this proposal but the Liberal Democrats nationally do not think this is the answer to the crisis in social care. Using council tax to raise the money will disproportionately burden the less well off in our communities and poorer parts of the country will be less able to raise money in this way than wealthier ones. Led by our health spokesperson and former Health Minister Norman Lamb we are pushing for a cross-party agreement on funding for health and social care. Is it time to put a penny on income tax to secure the future of the NHS and social care?
Thursday, 3 November 2016
Have your say on budget and council tax
South Glos Council is asking for your views on its budget and council tax for 2017/18. You can view the consultation and have your say here until 23rd January 2017.
Thursday, 18 February 2016
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.
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.
Friday, 29 January 2016
Budget cuts published
The Conservatives have published their draft budget, which will be discussed at a meeting on Monday. You can read the detail in the meeting papers but some of the headlines are:
- Council tax is proposed to rise by 3.99%, made up of a 1.99% rise towards general services and a 2% rise specifically for adult social care.
- By the end of 2015/16 the council will have saved £56m from its annual budget, with another £23m per anum of savings planned for the next four years - but even that leaves an £8m hole in the budget for 2019/20.
- Funding for services including youth provision, libraries, transport and the council tax support scheme will be cut.
- There will be no New Homes Bonus money to support the areas that take new housing - instead it will all be used to prop up the central budget.
Friday, 22 January 2016
Still time to have your say on council budget
You have until 31st January to have your say on the council budget.
This week the Tories approved a consultation on cutting libraries. Their preferred option would involve closing the mobile library that serves our rural communities along with Chipping Sodbury Library and cutting smaller libraries like Winterbourne to 2 days a week opening funded by South Glos. Main libraries like Yate and Thornbury would have their hours cut by 8 hours per week on average. We'll let you know how to comment when the consultation starts.
They also cut the 9 council-funded PCSOs, resisting the option of delaying until they've published their budget proposals so we could make a well-informed decision on whether the savings could be found elsewhere.
This week the Tories approved a consultation on cutting libraries. Their preferred option would involve closing the mobile library that serves our rural communities along with Chipping Sodbury Library and cutting smaller libraries like Winterbourne to 2 days a week opening funded by South Glos. Main libraries like Yate and Thornbury would have their hours cut by 8 hours per week on average. We'll let you know how to comment when the consultation starts.
They also cut the 9 council-funded PCSOs, resisting the option of delaying until they've published their budget proposals so we could make a well-informed decision on whether the savings could be found elsewhere.
Friday, 15 January 2016
South Glos funding cut more than expected
We were already expecting that South Glos Council would have to make significant cuts in the coming year but the news from the Conservative government was even worse than had been planned for. The council will be getting less money than expected from the Government to provide services.
The council can now charge a levy of up to 2% towards rising social care costs, on top of the up to 1.99% council tax rise allowed without a referendum. Even if council tax did go up by 3.99% including the social care levy, there is likely to be a shortfall in 2018/19 of around £6m and in 2019/20 of £8m - which would require more cuts on top of the £34m already planned for.
Due to these and other changes since the council's budget consultation was launched, the deadline for comments has been extended until 31st January. You can find out more and have your say here.
The council can now charge a levy of up to 2% towards rising social care costs, on top of the up to 1.99% council tax rise allowed without a referendum. Even if council tax did go up by 3.99% including the social care levy, there is likely to be a shortfall in 2018/19 of around £6m and in 2019/20 of £8m - which would require more cuts on top of the £34m already planned for.
Due to these and other changes since the council's budget consultation was launched, the deadline for comments has been extended until 31st January. You can find out more and have your say here.
Friday, 20 November 2015
Have your say on council budget
You can have your say on the council's budget online. Officers will also be answering questions at the upcoming Area Forum meetings.
Friday, 13 March 2015
Successful prosecution in relation to fly tipping on Nibley Lane
A landscape gardener from Bristol was fined £220 and ordered to pay £500 in costs after
being found guilty of duty of care offences that led to waste being fly
tipped at Nibley Lane, Westerleigh.You can read more here.
The Lib Dems on South Glos Council secured a one year continuation of funding for the council's enviro-crime service, which has a great track record of successful prosecutions in cases of fly tipping. We would have preferred this funding to have been an ongoing commitment but the other parties had different priorities.
The Lib Dems on South Glos Council secured a one year continuation of funding for the council's enviro-crime service, which has a great track record of successful prosecutions in cases of fly tipping. We would have preferred this funding to have been an ongoing commitment but the other parties had different priorities.
Friday, 7 November 2014
Have your say on council budget
Having already cut £43million from its annual budget, South Glos Council is
expecting to make tens of millions of pounds more savings in the next
few years, as it continues to help the national government reduce the
deficit. That means it's more important than ever to have your say on the council's budget.
Find out more at www.southglos.gov.uk/budget or at one of the local libraries or One Stop Shops. You have until 19th December to have your say.
Please let your Lib Dem Focus Team know your views too. We are committed to protecting the most vulnerable and working with you to find alternative ways of doing things where possible.
Find out more at www.southglos.gov.uk/budget or at one of the local libraries or One Stop Shops. You have until 19th December to have your say.
Please let your Lib Dem Focus Team know your views too. We are committed to protecting the most vulnerable and working with you to find alternative ways of doing things where possible.
Friday, 15 November 2013
Have your say on council budget
It's time to have your say on the council budget - and this year it's more important than ever to let the council know what your priorities are.
Excluding schools, which are fully funded by direct Government grant, South Glos Council spends over £318 million a year providing local services. £103 million of funding for that comes from central Government grants.
In recent years, those grants have reduced as part of cutting the deficit, and that is set to continue. By the end of 2014/15 the council will have reached a savings target of £43 million, through measures including cutting management levels by 40 percent, improving IT and simplifying processes and administration.
Unfortunately tens of millions of pounds of further savings will have to be made by the end of the decade. This will mean reshaping services or possibly even stopping some of them all together. This budget consultation gives you a chance to say which services you think are most important.
There are a number of ways you can do this:
Excluding schools, which are fully funded by direct Government grant, South Glos Council spends over £318 million a year providing local services. £103 million of funding for that comes from central Government grants.
In recent years, those grants have reduced as part of cutting the deficit, and that is set to continue. By the end of 2014/15 the council will have reached a savings target of £43 million, through measures including cutting management levels by 40 percent, improving IT and simplifying processes and administration.
Unfortunately tens of millions of pounds of further savings will have to be made by the end of the decade. This will mean reshaping services or possibly even stopping some of them all together. This budget consultation gives you a chance to say which services you think are most important.
There are a number of ways you can do this:
- Attend one of the budget roadshows:
Wednesday 20 November, Yate Shopping Centre, 1pm to 4pm
Thursday 21 November, Staple Hill Library, 10am to 1pm
Monday 25 November, Kingswood Shopping Centre, 2pm to 5pm
Tuesday 26 November, Sainsburys, Emersons Green, 1pm to 4pm
Wednesday 27 November, Bradley Stoke Willowbrook Centre, 3pm to 7pm
Thursday 28 November, St Mary’s Shopping Centre, Thornbury, 10am to 1pm
Wednesday 4 December, Patchway Hub, 10am to 1pm.
- Attend one of the Area Forums. The Frome Vale Forum (which includes Westerleigh, Ladden Brook and Frampton Cotterell wards) is at 7pm on Thursday 28th November in Chipping Sodbury Town Hall. Severn Vale (which includes Charfield) is at 7pm on December 4 in Severn Beach Primary School.
- Tweet your comments on Twitter using the hashtag #sgcbudget
- Fill in an online survey at www.southglos.gov.uk/budget
- Email: consultation@southglos.gov.uk
- Telephone: 01454 868154
- Write to: FREEPOST RTCT-JXLE-EET South Gloucestershire Council, Budget Consultation, Civic Centre, High Street, Kingswood, Bristol BS15 9TR
Monday, 20 September 2010
Have your say on Council budget
Back in July, Lib Dem group leader Cllr Ruth Davis won the Council's backing for a full public consultation on the Council's budget, similar to the Bristol City Council Big Budget Conversation. With the current serious economic situation the Council faces some tough decisions and the Lib Dems felt it was important that local people should have a say on how those decisions might affect the services they use. You can take part in the discussion here.
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
Council budget set
Today South Gloucestershire Council met to set a budget for the next three years. Last year the Lib Dems persuaded the Tory administration to accept a 3 year budget that largely reflected Lib Dem priorities. The first two years of this year's budget were the same as the 2nd and 3rd years of last year's budget, with added savings from efficiency that the Administration assure us are deliverable without loss of frontline services. Lib Dem Leader Cllr Ruth Davis said, "I would like to emphasise that we are in no way accepting any of the proposals for savings in the service reviews at this time, as we believe they need further investigation and should go through the process as described in the report."
One recommendation that was in earlier papers on the transport review was a proposal to cut some school transport, including that from Westerleigh to Pucklechurch and from Tytherington, Itchington and Earthcott to St Helen's in Alveston.
Cllr Claire Young, who spoke against the proposals at a recent meeting of the Council's Cabinet, said, "I’m glad to see that proposal was dropped from the transport review details provided for today’s meeting but I for one will be watching very closely the £75,000 of savings that are still to be developed.”
The Lib Dems also reiterated their commitment to the introduction of kerbside plastic recycling but said that in the present economic crisis it would be imprudent to move forward with such a project when so many things are in a state of flux. Cllr Davis said, "The indicative budget for year 3 has no allowance made for possible credit crunch issues, as assumptions in the report are based on a credit crunch buffer for 2 years only."
One recommendation that was in earlier papers on the transport review was a proposal to cut some school transport, including that from Westerleigh to Pucklechurch and from Tytherington, Itchington and Earthcott to St Helen's in Alveston.
Cllr Claire Young, who spoke against the proposals at a recent meeting of the Council's Cabinet, said, "I’m glad to see that proposal was dropped from the transport review details provided for today’s meeting but I for one will be watching very closely the £75,000 of savings that are still to be developed.”
The Lib Dems also reiterated their commitment to the introduction of kerbside plastic recycling but said that in the present economic crisis it would be imprudent to move forward with such a project when so many things are in a state of flux. Cllr Davis said, "The indicative budget for year 3 has no allowance made for possible credit crunch issues, as assumptions in the report are based on a credit crunch buffer for 2 years only."
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