A new consultation has been launched by Bristol City Council to gather views on options for the level of Council Tax from April 2019. As part of the council’s 2019/2020 budget planning, the authority is consulting on a number of options ranging from no rise in council tax through to a 4% increase. Every 1% increase in Council Tax would raise approximately £2m to support the delivery of services and would add approximately 31p/week to the Council Tax bill for band D properties.
The 4% option would include 1% reserved to help pay for adult social care through the social care precept* and would help pay for social care services to the city’s most vulnerable residents. The implications of each option are explored within the consultation survey – if council tax is not increased then new savings or other sources of funds, such as generating income, will need to be found.
People living in Bristol are being urged have their say on these proposals before the closing date of midnight on Monday 17 December. The consultation survey is available now at www.bristol.gov.uk/budget2019-2020.
Comments received through the consultation will be considered as final proposals are being developed. Both Cabinet and Full Council will consider the feedback from the consultation before a decision is made at their budget setting meetings in January (Cabinet) and February (Full Council) 2019.
You can request alternative formats of this document by contacting the consultation team on consultation@bristol.gov.uk or by calling 0117 922 2848.
*To help pay for social care services for the city’s most vulnerable residents next year, the council could charge up to 1% extra on top of the Council Tax increase. This is called the social care precept and is currently only available for next year (2019/20).