South Gloucestershire Council Cabinet will consider proposals for the authority’s budget for 2025/26 at its meeting on February 3.
Papers published at the end of January outline a plan for a balanced position for the next two years, by using reserves in the second year, while there are also warnings about potentially increasingly difficult financial times further ahead.
The budget will set out council tax rates for next year, as well as spending, investment and savings plans. While the financial settlement from national Government, announced in December, was slightly better than expected, and no new savings plans were proposed ahead of the consultation process, there is limited scope for new investments.
However, the council is keen to spend new money where it is available, and to prioritise spending to improve the lives of people in South Gloucestershire.
A number of new investments are included in the proposed budget which, once agreed by cabinet, will be considered by full council on February 19.
The new spending plans include recruiting an additional Occupational Therapist to help meet the needs of certain residents; ongoing support for domestic violence services; ongoing funding to support Armed Forces veterans; and speech and language therapy support for children supported by the youth justice team.
South Gloucestershire Council Leader, Councillor Maggie Tyrrell, said: “We are also not proposing to make further cuts to services, but we need to be honest with people that there are more difficult times ahead.
“The feedback and engagement we have had with people around this budget,will help us to prioritise effectively, based on a better understanding of residents’ needs.”