COUNCIL tax for South Gloucestershire residents is set to rise by 4.99% next year – the maximum allowed without a local referendum.
Green bin charges are also set to rise again, while cuts to services are also planned.
The changes are included in the council’s draft annual budget, which is out for public consultation until December 21.
The council says every 1% increase in tax brings in about £1.9 million of extra funding for local services, and a smaller increase would mean having to make even more cuts than proposed.
It says it is facing “rapid increases” in costs in areas such as transporting youngsters with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) to school.
Garden waste collection charges rise by 19%, from £63 to £75, “to continue to cover the costs of providing the service”.
When fees doubled from £30 to £60 in 2024, leaders pledged that future increases would be only by the rate of inflation, which is currently under 4%.
Meals on wheels, pest control and the HandyVan household repairs service face cuts or increased charges.
The council says that although they are highly valued by residents, council taxpayers are subsidising all three, and it is not legally required to provide any of them.
The community meals service, better known as meals on wheels, is currently losing more than £125,000 per year – about £2.20 for every meal delivered: the price people pay for meals has been frozen at a heavily discounted rate, while costs have risen sharply.
The council said an increase in meal charges will help offset some of the losses.
It is also considering an end to subsidises for the HandyVan service, which provides services from plumbing and kitchen adaptations to decorating and even flat-pack furniture building, and offers discounted rates to over-60s and people with disabilities and consistently doesn’t cover its costs.
The consultation said the pest control service also does not make any money, adding: “This is not a service which the council must provide, and there are companies in the private sector who offer a good value alternative.”
Other cost-cutting measures include cutting funding to town and parish councils for public toilets and parks, as well as flood prevention work.
The document said: “Some areas are more susceptible to flooding than others.
“We plan to increase how often we clear drains and gulleys in the areas which are most prone to flooding, but to create capacity to do this, we need to reduce how regularly we do this in other places.”
The Liberal Democrat/Labour-run council’s leader, Maggie Tyrrell, says she wants to encourage everyone to take part in the budget consultation.
She said: “We have set out how the current difficulty and uncertainty about the funding we receive, and the surging demand for some of the most expensive services that people rely on, is affecting the council.
“Wherever we can, we want to work together, with individuals, communities and partners to find ways to reduce the impact of needing to make cuts to spending.”
The consultation can be found online at www.southglos.gov.uk/budget
By Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporting Service