Bristol council tax could rise by record 15pc from April

Council tax in Bristol could rise by a record 15 per cent under City Hall proposals. That is three times the hike of the current five per cent maximum allowed, which is the amount bills have gone up every year since 2021.

A 15 per cent increase, including five per cent ringfenced for social care, would be by far the biggest ever and see Band D household charges rising by £314.35 a year, or £6.05 a week, from the current £2,095.69. Bills for Band B properties, which are £1,629.99 for 2024/25, would be an extra £244.50 a year from April, £4.70 a week.

These figures are what the council would charge and do not include the additional amounts levied by the police and fire authorities for their services, which are much smaller. Bristol City Council says it faces a £51.6million deficit in its core budget from April 2025 even if the fees go up by five per cent, including two per cent for social care, for the fifth year running.

At the moment, local authorities are only permitted to increase bills by three per cent for day-to-day services, such as bin collections, libraries and road repairs, plus a two per cent adult social care precept, without holding a local referendum. But in a public consultation launched by the city council on Friday, November 8, asking residents how much the charges should rise, it has proposed options from zero to 10 per cent for council tax and zero to five per cent for social care.

The government has not yet announced the maximum increases for both in 2025/26 so the local authority has included much bigger options to see what householders are willing or able to pay. The council says every one per cent above a five per cent total hike would reduce the budget gap by £2.9million, and every one per cent below it would add to it by the same amount.

So a 15 per cent increase means the shortfall dropping to £22.9million, which would still require that amount of savings or cuts to services. Council leader Cllr Tony Dyer said: “Setting a balanced budget is not only a legal duty but one of the most significant obligations we face.

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“It is never an easy task, and it requires balancing competing needs with protecting critical services. We also need to invest in areas of growing demand while leaving space to seize opportunities that will deliver benefits for our city as they emerge.

“These decisions cannot be taken lightly, nor will they be taken in isolation from the views and feedback of the people, businesses and communities that make up Bristol. This consultation provides an opportunity for us to share our financial forecasts and explain what is driving our financial circumstances.

“At this stage we want to gather views on two specific aspects of the budget alongside a picture of our overall financial situation. Potential changes to council tax and the adult social care precept won’t in themselves fix the challenges we face over the forthcoming years.

“We’re currently in the process of identifying the other necessary actions we need to take to balance the books. As these proposed actions emerge, we will consult the public further as required.

“I encourage all communities, all households and all parts of the city to consider the information we’re sharing today and to engage with us in this consultation. Local organisations can help you to respond to this survey and your local ward councillors are on hand to represent your views.

“By working together and taking part together, we can ensure that the decisions that lay ahead of us are taken in full sight of our city’s needs and requirements.” The council said the main drivers of the financial deficit were largely down to increasing costs and demand for adult and children care services, housing support and education services, along with years of funding cuts from government.

It said that in the next five years, these pressures were forecast to peak at a £68.4million shortfall in 2028/29 if no action was taken to reduce it. For Band D households, a five per cent council tax rise would mean paying an extra £104.78 a year, £2.02 a week, while a 10 per cent hike pushes bills up by £209.57 annually, £4.03 a week.

A five per cent increase for Band B properties means an additional £81.50 a year, £1.57 a week, and for 10 per cent it is £163 more than now, £3.13 a week. The consultation survey, which closes on December 19, is here.

Following the feedback, the strategy and resources policy committee will recommend the annual budget, including council tax, in January to full council, which will make the final decision the following month.