Budget for 2008/09 is set

Release Date:  27-Feb-2008

Councillors have agreed the Bristol City Council budget for 2008/09 - including new investment to ensure a safer and healthier city; make a real difference to the way many services are delivered and improve the environment and facilities in local neighbourhoods.

At their meeting on Tuesday, February 26th 2008, Members of the Council voted to accept the Cabinet's proposals for the budget, together with an amendment to spend a further £640,000 - to increase funding for sports, play and young people's development and initiatives to tackle truancy, anti social behaviour, flytipping and graffiti.

Details of the agreed amendment can be found in the file (.pdf format) available for download at the end of this page.

The final budget for the year ahead now includes:

• Almost £1.7 million more for approaches to tackle crime and anti social behaviour. The resources will recruit an extra 42 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and fund new home security measures for older and vulnerable residents; a portable 'quick response' CCTV system to deal with crime 'hotspots'; the city's first Rape Crisis Centre and the award-winning Family Support Scheme, which works with young people and their parents to discourage anti-social behaviour.
• An extra £2.4 million to support older and disabled people live independently, including an innovative new 're-ablement' service to help those coming out of hospital or recovering from a crisis to rebuild their lives.
• Around £2.2 million more to support young disabled people and 'looked after' children
  £90,000 to support local community-led youth groups in Long Cross, Bedminster Down, Brislington East, Stockwood, Henbury and Fishponds - and to increase campaigns to tackle truancy and improve school attendance.
• £730,000 to brighten up local neighbourhoods through crackdowns on flytipping; new 'Spring Clean' blitzes and community clean-ups to tackle waste and litter and targeted repairs to pavements signs, railings and other ‘street furniture’.
• £615,000 to improve parks and open spaces through investment in grounds maintenance work and four additional new play park areas in Stockwood, Westbury-on-Trym, Bedminster and Bishopsworth.
• Over £500,000 to boost leisure and cultural services with a new library in Whitchurch; an improved programme at Colston Hall and at Harbour Festival; the city's new international 10 kilometre road race and more investment in the city's sports development programme.
• £250,000 to make Bristol more inclusive by tackling inequality - in particular through strengthened education, training and cultural opportunities for African Caribbean residents.
• £320,000 to meet the full costs of waste collection and recycling services and deliver a further 11 plastics recycling banks, enabling Bristol to maintain its position as the best UK city for recycling.
• £200,000 to ensure a healthier city through an Active Bristol campaign run in partnership with the Primary Care Trust - and new action to tackle rat infestation.

The new investments will be paid for mainly through efficiency savings elsewhere in the budget totalling £8 million, together with a 4% rise in the charge made in council tax bills for council services. This is the level previously supported by the council when setting its three-year financial plan last February. The proposed tax increase for council services would be within the government’s likely guideline limit - and is expected to be lower than that set by many other councils across the country.

The final bills will also include precepts from both the Avon and Somerset Police Authority and the Avon Fire Authority. The council has no influence over any changes to these charges. Including these charges the council tax bill by band for 2008/09 will be as follows:

Author:   Simon Caplan

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