Category: Gloucestershire County Council

Gloucestershire County Council

Have Your Say On The County Council 2020/21 Budget

Gloucestershire County Council has launched its annual budget consultation, asking residents to have their say on its draft 2020/21 budget.

The consultation runs until 5pm on 17 January 2020 and asks for people to give their views on the county council’s spending plans.

The county council budget for 2020/21 totals £468 million, a net increase of £31 million on the year before. As well as an additional £12.9 million towards protecting the county’s vulnerable children, an initial £1 million Action Fund will be set up to help tackle climate change.

The budget also sets aside around £73.6 million of capital investment for schools and children and family services, bringing total expected capital investment to around £160 million by 2023.

A further £49.8 million has been allocated to deliver on the third year of the council’s £150 million ‘Your Highways’ programme.

The draft budget proposes to raise around £6.3 million to help fund services through a 1.99% increase in council tax. The council is also proposing to apply the national social care precept at 2%, raising an additional £6.3 million to help manage the increase demand for adult care services. In total these changes would result in an increase of under £1 per week for the average Band D taxpayer.

Cllr Mark Hawthorne, Leader of Gloucestershire County Council, said: “We have an ambitious vision for the future of this great county as well as a strong commitment to deliver the best possible service now.  I believe the draft budget achieves that balance.”

Read the Medium Term Financial Strategy 2020/21 to 2022/23

Take part in the online consultation

Copies of the survey will also be available in local libraries and in the county council’s reception at Shire Hall, Gloucester.

Alternatively you can print a copy of the consultation document (PDF, 619.1 KB)  and post back to Gloucestershire County Council, Communications Team, Shire Hall, Westgate Street, Gloucester GL1 2TG.

The consultation runs until 5pm on 17 January 2020.

Please share this information with anyone who might want to take part!

Gloucestershire County Council

Essential Information on Flooding

Message from Gloucestershire County Council:

Last week has seen significant flooding in the county, but do you know what to do if your property floods?

A new tool is available to make it easier to let the county council know when flooding happens. Just go to SWIM and follow the simple steps.

Reporting flooding helps Gloucestershire County Council and partners to build up a picture of areas at risk and how they can concentrate resources where they are most needed.

There is also a wealth of useful information to help you find out if you are at risk and how to prepare, such as this essential flood guide.

To find out more, visit the county council website: https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/planning-and-environment/flood-risk-management/frequently-asked-questions-on-flooding/

Gloucestershire County Council

Household Recycling Centres Switch To Winter Opening Hours

For those that use the household recycling centres, a reminder that winter opening hours start in October.

As the evenings get colder and darker, the household recycling centres across the county receive almost 30 per cent less waste and recycling. In order to reflect this and save taxpayers money, they change to seasonal opening hours and open six days a week.

From Sunday 27th October, the centre at Fosse Cross (on the A429) will be open from 10am to 4pm, except for Tuesday when they are closed. Sites are also closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

For more information about this and other household recycling centres, please visit:

https://www.recycleforgloucestershire.com.

 

 

Gloucestershire County Council

Are You Concerned About Climate Change?

Gloucestershire County Council is seeking input on how to tackle climate change and become a carbon-neutral county by 2050.

Until 23rd September, people will be able to respond to the consultation via the council’s website, either by completing the on line survey, downloading a hard copy or by emailing the climate change team directly. In addition, 1000 residents and 200 businesses will be asked to complete a phone survey, providing the council with a representative sample of the county’s views on climate change related issues.

All responses received during the consultation will be used to inform the creation of a revised Climate Change Strategy, supporting the county to become carbon neutral by 2050, which is key aim of the council in response to the ‘climate emergency’.

Cllr Nigel Moor, cabinet member for environment and planning, said, “Climate change will affect everyone so we are calling on Gloucestershire to help us prioritise how we take action.

“Everyone will play a part in helping us to achieve our targets on carbon reduction, and assist in responding to the climate emergency, contributing to a carbon neutral county.”

The council has already had huge success in reducing its emissions since 2005, when the first Carbon Management Strategy was published. The Government’s voluntary target for public sector organisations is to reduce emissions by 30 per cent in eleven years (by 2020/21). Gloucestershire County Council has more than halved its carbon emissions over the same time period; 52 per cent reduction in eleven years, which is significantly ahead of the national target.

Complete the online climate change consultation.

The consultation will close on 23rd September.

More information:

  • If you are aged 16 – 25 you can apply to be part of the Youth Climate Panel – the deadline for applications is midnight 9 September 2019. Apply now >
  • You can find out more about what the council is doing to tackle climate change. Learn more >
  • On 15 May 2019 Gloucestershire County Council declared a Climate Emergency, unanimously agreeing to tackle Gloucestershire’s carbon footprint. Read the council minutes >.

Based on a press release from Gloucestershire County Council