Bristol city councillors have confirmed a 4.99 per cent council tax rise from April.
The Green-led authority’s budget, comprising £634million for day-to-day services and £232million of capital investments in large projects and city infrastructure, such as houses, bridges and schools, was passed by 42-26 votes, with the Lib Dems in favour and Labour and the Conservatives against.
Just one of the nine amendments tabled by minority parties received support at February’s four-and-a-half-hour meeting – a Lib Dem proposal to bring forward £1million of funding for road repairs by a year, doubling the amount available in 2026/27 – while the rest were rejected.
The budget included nearly £41million in savings to balance the books, but also a series of U-turns announced in January following public consultation, including £270,000 towards reopening public toilets and scrapping cuts to cultural groups.
The council tax rise comprises 2.99 per cent in core spending and two per cent for adult social care,. This is a rise of £129.79 to £2,713.68 for band D households and by £100.94 to £2,110.64 for Band B.