COTSWOLD District Council’s cabinet has agreed on a budget for next year.

The cabinet has announced significant changes to reduce spending and increase income after concerns were raised that it might not be able to balance its budget in 2026/27 amidst government funding cuts.

In the proposed budget for 2024/25, CDC are planning to raise council tax by £5 a year for a Band D properties and to increase car parking charges which in conjunction could raise an estimated £685,000.

The council is also proposing to increase the garden waste charge so that the service continues to be paid for by the people who use it instead of being subsidised by council taxpayers. 

An additional funding package (referred to as Core Spending Power) for councils was announced by the government this week, and CDC said it will receive £12.471m from this - an extra £118k compared to the provisional figures provided by the government in December. 

However, deputy leader and cabinet member for finance at CDC Cllr Mike Evemy does not believe this additional funding will 'make a meaningful difference'.

Cllr Evemy said: “While we welcomed the additional funding announced this year, it will not make any meaningful difference to our financial position and we still have no certainty for the future. 

“For the time being, we are in a relatively sound financial position due to decisions in the last few years to raise charges and make services more efficient. 

"The budget for this year once again will help us prepare for the potential 25 per cent funding reduction we have been told to expect from the government in the next few years. 

“Our proposals this year could save £1.5 million which would make a big difference and will help us to protect the services our residents and communities rely on. 

"Last year, we were able to freeze car parking charges to help residents and visitors with the cost of living, but we can’t afford to continue that freeze. 

“By making difficult decisions in this year’s budget, it will help us avoid making much tougher decisions in future and facing the harsh changes we have seen at councils that have lost control of their finances and faced bankruptcy."