Bristol council tax would rise by 5% under budget plans

Council tax would rise by 5% under Bristol City Council's new budget plans, it has been revealed.

The proposals would also see council tenants' rent rise by 7%.

But proposed funding cuts for parks, libraries and the council tax reduction scheme, which helps poorest families, were shelved after a backlash.

Opposition councillors welcomed the U-turn on cuts, but accused the Labour-controlled council of "frittering away" cash on "hopeless commercial ventures".

The council tax hike equates to a £94.87 increase for band D properties, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Mayor Marvin Rees said every penny rise in council rents, to £90.76 a week, would be spent on repairs and improvements to tenants' homes.

Despite the extra income, the authority still faces a £20.3m budget gap in 2023/24, increasing to £40.2m in four years.

Cabinet papers suggest the worst-case scenario by 2027/28 is a £125m blackhole.

Other revenue-raising measures include charging second-home owners full council tax and increasing the cost of garden waste collections from £32 to £50 a year.

The updated budget is due to be recommended by Mr Rees' cabinet on Tuesday before being put before full council next month.

Initial plans would have seen cuts of £1.5m for parks, a £1.4m budget drop for libraries and £3m savings on the council tax reduction scheme. All three were reversed following public feedback.

A further £8.8m will be used from council reserves over the next three years in a bid to balance the books.

Mr Rees said: "More than a decade of government austerity has already cut council budgets to the bone, but despite the challenges, we have found a way to continue to protect frontline services.

"Since putting the budget out to consultation, we have adjusted our proposals to better reflect our, and fellow Bristolians' priorities."

The council's change of course also means plans to move the city's central library have been dropped.

Tory group leader Councillor Mark Weston said: "We welcome the removal of the libraries and parks spending from the savings plan as these will always be key Conservative priorities when considering what ought to be core council competences.

"Overall, one cannot help but think that the authority's finances would be in a much better position had the mayor not frittered away so much money on hopeless commercial ventures - Bristol Energy - and the rather grotesque cost of rebuilding the Bristol Beacon."

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