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After soaring demand for services, rising costs and years of shrinking government support, we submitted a formal request to the government in December for flexibility.
We are one of just seven councils across England allowed to increase council tax by more than the standard 4.99 per cent limit.
If approved by councillors next week, the rise could be as high as 8.99 per cent for one year only. For a typical Band D household, this would mean an additional £3.10 per week, or £13.44 per month, on the council’s portion of the bill.
Despite the proposed increase, we would still remain a relatively low council tax area - currently the second lowest in the South West - and would remain below the national average even after the rise.
Mounting demand and falling funding
We are facing unprecedented financial strain, driven largely by an increasing need for social care. For every £100 the council spends, £62 now goes on children’s and adult services.
Demand in these areas has surged:
- The number of children in care has risen by 47 per cent in just three years
- Residential care for a child can cost around £520,000 per year
- Supporting adults in care settings costs £120.7m annually
- Individual residential placements for adults can exceed £46,000 per year.
At the same time, government funding has declined sharply. In 2014, grants accounted for 25 per cent of our income. By 2025 this had fallen to just 11 per cent.
We also expect to lose a further £18.6m following the Government’s Fair Funding Review.
Even with the higher tax income, we must still find an additional £2.4 million in savings, on top of £18 million already identified in draft proposals.
The budget-setting meeting will take place next Tuesday (24 February) at the Town Hall in Weston-super-Mare, starting at 6pm. Residents can attend in person or watch live online via the council’s YouTube channel.
Anyone concerned about cost of living pressures can use our benefits calculator to see what additional help you might be entitled to. Visit our website.