On 4th May, residents across Gloucestershire will have the opportunity to vote in County Council elections – choosing the team of Councillors who will set the taxes you pay and manage the services you receive.
Conservatives on the County Council have a strong history of balancing the books. By making tough but necessary decisions over the last few years, Conservatives have kept Council tax bills low while delivering high-quality services for local residents.
Conservatives on the Council have strived to keep Council tax low, protecting the most vulnerable in our society, while also investing in roads to keep the county moving.
This work was continued for this year’s budget. The Council has introduced a modest increase in basic Council tax of 1.99% (following Council Tax freezes in 5 of the last 7 years). They have also introduced a Government-backed Adult Social Care precept of 2%, which will help fund care for some of the most vulnerable in our county.
The Council also voted to invest an extra £9m in our county’s roads. This will be a significant boost to the council’s plans to improve Gloucestershire roads, allowing it to resurface more roads and pavements and fill more potholes than ever before.
Our local district councils have also been working hard to deliver value for money for the taxpayer while supporting our local communities and ensuring our local economy is able to thrive.
Improving the efficiency of delivering local services is key to delivering better value for taxpayers’ money. Tewkesbury Borough Council’s Public Services Centre is a great example of this, with a number of public organisations – including Gloucestershire Constabulary and Job Centre Plus – who share the same customers working under the same roof. This ensures significant savings whilst introducing a single access point for members of the public and allowing local services to work together in one location.
Meanwhile, the Forest of Dean District Council has been able to save hundreds of thousands of pounds per year through the 2020 Vision Partnership – with initiatives such as sharing back office functions with 3 other councils. This saving allows the Council to work on regenerating sites around the District, such as the Cinderford Northern Quarter.
Conservatives on our local councils are doing great work, delivering for local residents. I encourage everyone to continue to support them in their efforts.