Council tax rise for North Somerset households as budget passed

Paul JonesFebruary 20, 20250 Comment0

NORTH Somerset households are facing an increase of 4.99% in their council tax bills to pay for services in the district.

On Tuesday (February 18), members of North Somerset Council approved the 2025/26 budget, including the increase, which amounts to £85.25 a year for a Band D property.

Elsewhere in the budget, more than £450 million of capital investment was improved to improve infrastructure in the area.

The budget comes after, in November last year, the council issued a bankruptcy warning and launched a campaign for fairer government funding.

And Cllr Mike Bell, leader of the council, said there was still work to do to plug a remaining £10m funding gap.

“It’s taken a lot of hard work and determination to set a balanced budget in these challenging financial times,” he said. “To do so, we’ve implemented a series of measures to help reduce costs and generate income, changing the way contracts are commissioned, looking at how services are delivered, how services can be transformed and in some cases reducing services.

“We have also reduced senior management and the staff workforce. However, our hard work doesn’t stop with a balanced 2025/26 budget today, we still have a £10m gap in our revenue budget for the next financial three years left to close.”

The authority’s capital strategy 2025 to 2029 sets out £450m of investment plans aimed at bringing “improvements for communities, children and young people and help tackle the climate emergency”.

Around 170 capital schemes feature, including a number of existing projects largely funded by the council’s success in obtaining external grants.

Cllr Mike Bell, leader of North Somerset Council

Among them are the Metro West Rail project in Portishead and Pill, delivering the Banwell Bypass, improvements to public transport, replacement of the Winterstoke Road Bridge in Weston-super-Mare, the A38 Major Road Network improvements and our Improving Weston-super-Mare programme which includes landmark projects at Birnbeck Pier, the Tropicana, Grove Park and Marine Lake.

The council is also delivering the government’s Warm Homes Local Grant, providing insulation measures and other improvements such as solar panels, batteries and low carbon heating to cut bills for families, slash fuel poverty, and reduce carbon emissions in support of the net zero 2050 target.

Cllr Bell added: “We are continuing to invest in public services thanks to our success in bidding for external grants and government funding.

“Despite our financial challenges, we have ambitious plans for investment in the region including infrastructure, housing, and economic regeneration.

“I’m pleased our Capital Strategy is supporting communities, children and young people and helping tackle the climate emergency, leaving a lasting legacy for generations to come.”

North Somerset is not alone is raising council tax in a bid to plug a funding gap. Neighbouring Somerset Council has been given special permission allowing it to increase council tax by up to 7.5% in a bid to raiise extra money.

Somerset Council is set to finalise budget proposals this month.