Bristol residents are set to face a 4.99 per cent increase in council tax for the fifth year running. The city council’s annual budget includes the maximum hike in bills permitted by the government without requiring a local referendum. Bristol Live readers would like to know where all the extra money is going.
This translates to an increase of £81.32 for a Band B household, which makes up the largest proportion of homes in Bristol, and £104.57 for a Band D family. Bristol City Council presented options ranging from zero to 15 per cent increases during a public consultation at the end of last year, anticipating that the government would allow larger increases than in recent years, but the limits remained unchanged.
Despite most of the 6,800 respondents preferring no increase, a surprisingly high number of people were in favour of bills rising to the maximum figure. Overall, more than half of residents supported options to raise both council tax and the social care precept by the government’s current limits of a total of five per cent.
These totals only represent Bristol City Council’s portion of the council tax, which constitutes the majority. The remaining amount is charged by Avon & Somerset Police and Avon Fire Authority for their services, who have yet to decide on their precepts.
Commenter Jj5alive complains: “We don’t seem to get anything in return for our council tax. Charged for emergency services and social care. Bins are going to 3 weekly, decided before the current consultation has even gone out! “
Antigov agrees: “Change the bins to once every 4 weeks, then we can all get a job in pest control! Your council tax will rise to pay for this service too, which will be needed far more often.”
Kingswoodbiffo adds: “What is the Bristol Council doing to collect the £225 million debts of rent, council tax and fines left by the previous Council? That would eradicate the council tax rise.”
Freewheeler asks: “If peoples’ income is not increasing at the same rate as these increases, bearing in mind food and energy price rises, this will be an impossible bill to pay. So why increase it?”
KaptainVon states: “More money, less services appears to be the mantra of all parties local and national over the last fifty years. The blame is simply shifted onto whoever preceded them. Up go the prices, down go the services and the merry go round keeps turning. Once upon a time politicians were supposed to be public servants.”
Holdencaulfield disagrees: “More money, more services is the reality. It is just that a lot of the extra money is being spent on the elderly who did not save enough to retire at 65. Look at the demographics, it’s only going to accelerate from here.”
Mindflayer says: “Some of us can’t get any education for our SEND children. Five years for us. So I can’t go out to work as I have to stay home and educate my child. Council still want their council tax though.”
SO69 suggests: “This consultation was probably corrupted by students’ views. They pay nothing but are allowed to vote on local issues. That’s the only way greens were voted in.”
Are you happy with the proposed council tax rise? Do you feel you get value for money? Have your say in our comments section.