Residents in South Gloucestershire look set to benefit from lower council tax increases over the next three years following the council's plans to move to more ambitious savings targets without impacting directly on frontline services.
Providing value for money is a priority for South Gloucestershire Council, particularly during a time when many local households are experiencing larger increases in the cost of living. Over time the council aims to move towards council tax increases that are in line with national inflation targets.
Cllr John Calway, leader of South Gloucestershire Council, said: "At a time when the finances of more and more South Gloucestershire households are coming under increasing strain from the soaring cost of living, it is right that their local council puts renewed focus on making sure that it is working as efficiently as possible when spending council tax payers' money."
He added: "The fact that we are one of the lowest funded unitary authorities in the country makes us even more determined to provide excellent value for money and the quality frontline services that our residents demand."
The council wishes to meet the value for money priority in the Council Plan and aims to achieve this by setting two financial priorities for the budget and capital programme. These are:
1. Setting a more ambitious savings target to deliver greater efficiencies with an aim of not impacting directly on frontline council services
2. Setting lower council tax increases for each of the next three years, and a target over time of matching the national inflation target of 2 per cent
The council wishes to achieve a council tax increase of 3.9 per cent for 2009/10; 3.4 per cent for 2010/11 and 2.9 per cent for 2011/12. Plans for the next 10 years see council tax increases falling to the 2 per cent per annum target in 2017/18.
These lower levels of increases are consistent with annual saving targets of an average of 3 per cent a year. This level of saving is challenging but achievable, even with an aim of not impacting directly on frontline council services.
Savings are expected to be made by concentrating on making back office and support functions more efficient.
The report will go to Cabinet for consideration on 8 September and starts the process that will end early next year with the formal setting of a budget, council tax and capital programme for the coming year.
