Gloucestershire County Council has launched a public consultation on its draft budget for 2021/22 and is calling on all stakeholders to have their say on the proposals.
The plans, which total more than £480 million of spending, include additional investment in key areas like children’s services, highways and tackling the climate emergency, as well as planning for the Council’s continued response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The consultation runs until 5 pm on 15 January 2021, and stakeholders across the country including residents, businesses and key partner organisations are being asked to give their views on the proposals.
Leader of the Council, Cllr Mark Hawthorne, said: “We’re proposing a budget that we believe strikes the right balance between investing where it is needed in the here and now, and planning for Gloucestershire’s future. It puts protecting jobs and protecting our environment at its core, and keeps Council Tax levels among the lowest in the country. But we want to know what you think. The decisions the County Council makes will have an impact on all those who live and work here, so your feedback is vital to help shape these plans.
Some of the council’s key investments planned for next year include:
- £1m to make new school buildings carbon neutral
- £9.2m for a new special school
- £15m for the new secondary school in Cheltenham
- £11m for a new primary school in Bishops Cleeve
- £8.1m for improvements to the condition of school buildings and facilities across the county
- A further £4.9m towards delivery of the Gloucester South West Bypass
- £3m towards the £11.6m Cheltenham to Gloucester cycle route
- £11.3m towards M5 J10
- £2.7m investment in new and improved life-saving equipment for GFRS’ firefighters
- £1.8m to ensure delivering Broadband across the county
To find out more about the budget proposals, and to fill out the survey, go to www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/budget2021-22. Alternatively, paper copies can be requested from our customer services team, via customerservices@gloucestershire.gov.uk