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Council tax payers set to see bills rise

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Council tax is set to rise by an average of 13p per week. 

Next week the Council’s Strategy and Resources Committee will consider the improvements as part of the Council’s financial position and set a budget for the level of council tax it requires for 2025/26. 

The committee is also being asked to recommend to Full Council to increase its share of the council tax bill by 2.99% (£7.06), which is the level of increase expected by Government for district council tax, to £243.08 at Band D – an increase of approximately 13p per week for the services provided by Stroud District Council. 

However, Stroud District Council is set to invest more than £1million in extra improvements, including new affordable homes, childrens’ play, CCTV replacement, planning enforcement, climate action, contaminated land management, air quality, electric vehicles and chargers, waste and litter, renewable energy, and public toilets are some of the areas which could benefit from new allocations towards the objectives in a refreshed Council Plan for the district. 

Council Leader Catherine Braun, who chairs the committee, said: “Providing value-for-money services for everyone in our district continues to be a priority for us. This budget reflects the focus in our new Council Plan on services for the environment, communities, housing and the local economy. We’re grateful to everyone who took part in the recent consultation to set these district priorities.” 

New allocations include funding to for a play strategy, new high-definition CCTV to help tackle anti-social behaviour in existing locations and new communities, a detailed assessment of potentially contaminated land sites, development of an air quality improvement approach to help reduce pollution, more electric vehicle chargers in SDC car parks, and upping the commitment to SDC’s Litter Champion work. 

Affordable and warm homes will be supported through continuing investment of more than £14million in the programme to build more than 100 new council homes. The budget will also allocate new funding to respond to issues faced by private sector renters and will be supporting sustainability work which helps people to save money on their energy bills through home efficiency improvements. 

In addition, it is proposed that the Council increases its budget to buy new affordable homes from £2million to £5million. These funds will be available to purchase affordable homes from developers and are part of the Housing Revenue Account which is funded by council home rents. 

To support local businesses in Stroud, car parking fees will be frozen for all car parks, apart from Cheapside, where the cost of longer stays will be aligned with the Stroud station parking fees, following discussion with Town Council and Chamber of Commerce representatives. 

SDC’s services account for approximately 11% of the Council Tax bill, with the other elements being the services provided by Gloucestershire County Council, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire, and Parish and Town Councils. 

The council’s services include waste and recycling, planning, environmental health, parking, parks and recreation, leisure centres, The Museum in the Park, canal restoration, animal welfare, benefits administration and advice, elections, youth work, upkeep of open spaces including Selsley Common and Cam Peak and Long Down, plus licensing and flood management. 

Strategy and Resources Committee will meet at 7pm on Thursday, February 6. The meeting can be viewed on the Council’s YouTube channel or in person at Ebley Mill. The agenda for the meeting, with full details of the proposed budget, can also be found on the Council’s website: www.stroud.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/  

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