Stroud District Council has approved its budget which invests more than £1million in extra improvements to key areas which will make a difference to local people and communities.
On 13th February the Full Council meeting approved the budget, which will mean that Council Tax for SDC services is set to rise by an average of 13p per week, which is £243.08p per year for Band D properties.
Although Stroud District Council collects Council Tax, its services make up a small proportion of the total bill at approximately 11%. The other elements of the Council Tax Bill are services provided by the County Council, parish and town councils, and police. Gloucestershire County Council’s precept from April this year is expected to be £1,679.65p, and Gloucestershire Police will charge £322.08p. Precepts for parish and town councils vary.
Council Leader Catherine Braun said after the meeting: “I was delighted to see overwhelming support from councillors for the improvements that we have planned for the year ahead. This will include significant investment in the council’s planning and housing services, funding for regeneration, community safety and health and wellbeing. Across all services there will be a focus on climate change, sustainability, and support for nature’s recovery.”
New work for the district in 2025/26 will include a play strategy, new high-definition CCTV to help tackle anti-social behaviour, continued support for the community safety action and the community hubs across Stroud district, an audit of public facilities and toilet provision across the district will also be undertaken to identify any future investment needs, and investment in leisure services and the district’s Cultural Strategy will continue.
For environment services, the budget provides resources to enhance the council’s flood prevention and resilience work, to undertake a detailed assessment of potentially contaminated land sites and develop an air quality improvement approach to help reduce pollution.
Funding has been allocated to replace some of the aging vehicles used for waste collection with electric models and to invest in the bulky waste service, which helps people dispose of large items. There will be a focus on delivering the litter action plan, which will include replacement of over 200 litter bins, and on options for the generation of renewable energy across the council’s estate.
Affordable and warm homes will be supported through continuing investment of more than £14million in the programme to build more than 100 new council homes, putting Stroud district within the top five district council house building programmes in the country. The Council has upped its budget to purchase new affordable homes from £2 million to £5 million.
The budget has also allocated new funding to respond to issues faced by private sector renters and will be supporting sustainability work which helps people to save money on their energy bills through home efficiency improvements.
Funding has been earmarked to deliver a new Economic Development and Tourism Strategy which will be developed during the year, and on to secure the regeneration resource needed to progress the Stroud Station Quarter and Brimscombe Port sites.
As the freehold owner of Woodchester Mansion, the Council has agreed some funding for the year ahead for continued partnership working with the National Trust and the Woodchester Mansion Trust, on development costs of the next stage of the works to secure the future of the Mansion.
The council’s services include waste and recycling, planning, environmental health, parking, parks and recreation, leisure centres, The Museum in the Park, canal restoration, animal welfare, benefits administration and advice, elections, youth work, upkeep of open spaces including Selsley Common and Cam Peak and Long Down, plus licensing and flood management.
Full Council met on Thursday, February 13 and a recording of the meeting can be viewed on the Council’sYouTube channel
The agenda and reports to the meeting are available on the council’s website
Background information
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