Bristol City Council Initiates Consultation on Potential 15% Council Tax Increase

Bristol City Council initiated a consultation on Friday, presenting residents with the option of an unprecedented 15% increase in council tax. This proposed rise is among the choices being put to the public. The council has issued a warning that the city anticipates a £50m funding shortfall for the upcoming year. Currently, stringent limitations are in place regarding council tax increases exceeding 5%, which has been the annual increment for bills since 2021. Should a 15% increase be implemented, with 5% specifically allocated for social care, it would represent the largest rise on record. This would result in Band D household charges increasing by £314.35 annually, or £6.05 weekly, from their current rate of £2,095.69. For Band B properties, currently priced at £1,629.99 for the 2024/2025 period, the proposed increases would mean an additional £244.50 per year, or £4.70 per week, starting in April, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. It is important to note that these figures reflect the council’s proposed charges and exclude the comparatively smaller supplementary fees imposed by police and fire authorities for their respective services. Bristol City Council stated that its core budget is projected to face a £51.6m deficit starting April 2025, even if charges are raised by 5%, including 2% for social care, for the fifth consecutive year. Currently, local authorities are authorized to increase bills by a maximum of 3% for routine services like bin collections, libraries, and road repairs, in addition to a 2% adult social care precept, without requiring a local referendum. However, the public consultation initiated by the city council seeks residents’ input on the extent of charge increases, presenting options ranging from zero to 10% for council tax and zero to 5% for social care. As the government has not yet declared the maximum permissible increases for both categories in 2025/26, the local authority has incorporated significantly larger options to gauge residents’ willingness or capacity to pay. Council leader Tony Dyer stated: “These decisions cannot be taken lightly, nor will they be taken in isolation from the views and feedback of the people, businesses and communities that make up Bristol.” He added: “This consultation provides an opportunity for us to share our financial forecasts and explain what is driving our financial circumstances.” The council attributed the financial deficit primarily to escalating costs and demand across care services, housing support, and education services, compounded by years of reductions in government funding.