Where your money goes 2022 to 23

Introduction

‘Where your money goes’ outlines important information about your council tax (and business rates) and how your money is used to deliver services in South Gloucestershire for the benefit of all residents.

South Gloucestershire Council will invest £400 million in services and capital, such as building new schools, in the 2022/23 financial year. We are pleased to have agreed a balanced budget whilst also limiting the annual council tax rise to well below inflation through prudent financial management.

Supporting our most vulnerable residents is at the core of this budget, while improving our communities for everyone. We are also supporting those who feel the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, with our Community Resilience Fund and we are helping people to live healthier lives through our £1million Prevention Fund.

We are investing in the future too, with more than £12 million on maintenance and improvements to roads, including funding to tackle potholes which will benefit drivers and cyclists alike. An extra £639,000 is being invested in street cleaning to expand the successful team, ensuring our communities are clean and attractive places to live and work.

Protecting our future is also critical to the success of not just South Gloucestershire but to everyone, which is why we are taking direct action to respond to the climate and nature emergencies from improving biodiversity in our district to supporting The Wave’s plans to go off-grid.

Ensuring all children have the best start in life is another key priority, with investment to build new and enhance existing schools, increasing support for children with special educational needs, and expanding and improving our social care support.

There is also plenty to celebrate this year with the Queen’s Jubilee in June, which we will mark by opening a new biodiversity park in Cadbury Heath and supporting a number of community events, and we look forward to welcoming the Tour of Britain to South Gloucestershire in September.

Councillor Toby Savage, Leader of the Council

Council tax and your bill

Council tax helps pay for local services such as police and fire, schools, roads, street lights, libraries, waste and recycling collection.

The amount of council tax you pay is based on the valuation band of your property and any discounts or exemptions that you may be entitled to.

In 2021/22 the council increased council tax by 4.99% and now in 2022/23 needs to increase its share by 2.99%, including a 1% increase for adult social care.

This is primarily due to the increasing demand for services, particularly for adult and children’s social care.

The South Gloucestershire Council element of the council tax for a band D property for 2022/23 is £1,668.84, an increase of £48.45.

With precepts added from the Police and Crime Commissioner, Avon Fire Authority and all 47 parishes, the average 2022/23 total council tax for a band D property is
£2,086.15.

£150 government council tax rebate

If you live in a property in council tax bands A to D, you are likely to receive a £150 council tax rebate from the government to help with the cost of living.

Read more on GOV.UK Council tax energy rebate: information leaflet for households in council tax bands A-D

Your council tax bill explained

Download the above bill example (PDF)

Paying your council tax

There are several ways you can pay your council tax, find out more on our paying your council tax webpage.

If you have any problems paying your council tax bill contact us as soon as possible.

Council tax reduction and housing benefit enquiries

Local council tax reduction is a scheme to help those on a low income to get help to pay their council tax.

If you need help with council tax reduction or housing benefit you can call 01454 868002 or visit one of our one stop shops.

Discounts and exemptions

In some circumstances you may be entitled to a discount or exemption. Find out more on our discounts and exemptions webpage.

Viewing your details online

You will need your reference key and billing number from your latest bill to view your details online. These can be found on the front of your bill.

You will be able to view account details (including payments made), set up or amend direct debits, ask for an e-bill rather than a printed copy and update your contact details.

To set this up visit the my council tax online webpage.

Electronic billing

You can now have your council tax bill sent by email.

This can be arranged through your online account or by contacting us:

Reporting changes in your circumstances

Important

It is your responsibility to tell us immediately about any changes that may affect the amount of housing benefit, council tax exemption, discount, or reduction you get.

You are committing an offence if you deliberately fail to tell us about a change in your circumstances.

Appeals

There are two areas for appeal.

Against the valuation band (area 1)

These appeals should be made in writing to the Council Tax section, at South Gloucestershire Council. You still need to pay your council tax whilst waiting for the appeal decision.

Against your council tax charge (area 2)

You can appeal if you think you are not liable to pay council tax because:

  • you are not the owner or the resident
  • your property is exempt
  • you think there has been a mistake in the way your bill has been calculated

Precepts (payment for essential services)

Your council tax bill also collects precepts for adult social care, the police, fire services, town and parish councils, and special expenses.

Adult social care precept

The adult social care precept allows councils who provide social care to adults to charge an additional amount for council tax.

The precept is not linked to whether or not taxpayers receive social care services. If you already pay for care services, the precept does not replace these charges.

It is a government requirement that this charge is shown as a separate line on the bill.

Emergency services

In 2022/23 Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner charges have increased by 4.15% (or £10.00 on an average B and D property).

Avon Fire Authority charges have increased by 1.99%.

You can read more about these charges:

Town and parish councils

There are 47 town and parish councils in South Gloucestershire, not all areas have one.

Town and parish councils set their budgets independently, and while the average increase for 2022/23 is 4.47%, the charges range from -41.4% to 79.5%

Special expenses

The cost of the council’s services is spread mainly uniformly over the authority’s area.

In some areas, the town or parish council may provide services which are the responsibility of South Gloucestershire Council in others. These are called special expenses.

Special expenses are only charged to the areas which directly benefit from them. They vary across the 47 parished and the unparished areas.

Business rates (or non-domestic rates)

Business rates (or non-domestic rates) are taxes paid on non domestic properties to help towards the cost of local council services.

Business rates retention arrangements allow authorities to keep a proportion of the local business rates. This helps pay for the services provided by the local authority in your area.

For more information about business rates visit our business rates section and the about business rates or non-domestic rates page on our website.

GOV.UK also has information about the business rates system.

The council’s budget

The council increased its share of the council tax by 1.99% in 2021/22 for the general council tax precept with a 3% increase for adult social care.

For 2022/23, the council is increasing its share of the general council tax by 1.99% and 1% for adult social care, in line with government limits.

The 2022/23 Budget also includes updated details of the council’s savings programmes.

The current savings programme is planned to deliver £23.565m from 2022/23 to 2025/26, leaving a balanced budget thereafter.

The first pie chart below shows where the council will obtain its funding for 2022/23:

  • 23% will come from council taxpayers (of which 3% is ring fenced for adult social care)
  • 9% from business rate payers
  • 47% from government funding and grants
  • 21% from sales, fees and charges

The second pie chart below shows the services on which the council spends money:

  • 35% is spent on schools
  • 28% on services for young people, and for the elderly and those with disabilities and public health
  • 19% for Chief Executive and Corporate Resources, and capital financing
  • 11% being spent on transport, environment and community services
  • 7% for waste services

Plans for the next 10 years

In addition to setting its budget and council tax for 2022/23, the council has also looked at the next 10 years’ plans.

The government had previously announced its intention to change the way all councils are to be financed through the business rates retention system.

This has been delayed for another year as result of the pandemic and it is now anticipated that this will come into effect from 2023/24.

Significant work and engagement with local government has already been undertaken by central government and will continue over the next financial year. Alongside some other devolution areas, the councils in the West of England Combined Authority area (which includes this council) previously entered into a pilot for 100% rates retention from 1 April 2018 and the council continues to benefit from this in 2022/23.

The council expects that further investment will be needed in services for the over 65s and for vulnerable young people over the next few years.

In order to achieve a balanced budget in the medium term, the council needs to achieve the savings identified in its budget proposals amounting to £23.565m.

Council services and how they are funded

The following tables show the council’s revenue budget for last year and the current year plus indicative budgets for the next 3 years.

They also show the causes of the change in net spending and the capital investment being made by the council in its buildings, roads and other facilities.

CAH – Children, Adults and Health
ECS – Environment and Community Services
CECR – Chief Executive and Corporate Resources

Expenditure 2021/
2022
Net
£m
2022/
2023
Gross Exp
£m
2022/
2023
Income
£m
2022/
2023
Reserves
£m
2022/
2023
Net
£m
Schools0.0262.9-257.9-4.90.0
CAH149.1221.4-50.5-3.0167.9
ECS42.1126.7-77.3-6.742.7
CECR21.4103.6-78.4-1.923.3
Other
services
including
capital
financing
38.339.2-17.43.825.6
Total
expenditure
251.0753.7-481.5-12.7259.5
Funding
Government –
general grants
-23.0-20.5-20.5
Government
– schools
funding
-63.2-257.5-257.5
Government
– specific
grants
-250.5-65.5-65.5
Sales, fees
charges
and other
income
153.7-172.2172.2
Business
ratepayers
-64.8-70.7-70.7
Council
taxpayers
-141.2-147.6-147.6
Council
taxpayers –
Adult social
care
-17.7-19.7-19.7
Total
funding
-714.1-753.7-753.7

Download the above table as a csv file.

Why the budget has changed

Net revenue budget 2021/22250,982
Inflation7,963
Demographic growth9,635
Service investment4,872
Service demand increases 1,371
Council savings-6,560
Temporary grant changes
(e.g. change in Covid-19 grants)
-7,673
Other
(including capital financing)
-1,084
Net revenue budget 2022/23259,506
Total increase (+) / decrease (-)8,524

Download the above table as a csv file.

Capital investment

2022/
2023
£m
2023/
2024
£m
2024/
2025
£m
2025/
2026
£m
Children, Adults and Health471358
Environment and Community Services43261716
Economic development fund schemes318100
Other services and
Invest to Save
191042
Total140573626

Download the above table as a csv file.

Council tax to be collected and payments due

2021/222021/2220/22/232022/23
Precept
£
Payments
Band D
£
Precept
£
Payments
Band D
£
158,869,169

– 2,047,306
1,620.39

– 20.6
South
Gloucestershire
tax
requirement
Less special
expenses
reallocated
167,122,280

– 2,121,355
1,668.84

21.18
156,821,8631,599.79165,000,9251,647.66
7,493,50376.43Avon Fire
Authority
7,806,14777.95
23,648,213241.20Avon and
Somerset
Police and Crime
Commissioner
25,155,922251.20

Download the above table as a csv file.

Council Tax By Area (including parish precepts and special expenses)

2022/232022/232022/23
PreceptSpecial
expenses
Payments
Band D
Total Unparished Areas£386,748.00£2,007.89
Acton Turville£5,579.00£429.00£2,014.36
Almondsbury £267,417.00£4,657.00£2,096.24
Alveston£60,296.00£6,255.00£2,025.89
Aust£5,990.00£45.00£2,002.93
Bitton£121,632.00£79,365.00£2,036.68
Bradley Stoke£810,862.00£136,815.00£2,113.48
Charfield£62,000.00£30,029.00£2,054.34
Cold Ashton£4,400.00£0.00£2,010.40
Cromhall£22,330.00£334.00£2,047.41
Dodington£299,245.00£120,216.00£2,153.50
Downend and
Bromley Heath
£304,500.00£87,271.00£2,061.70
Doynton£5,250.00£0.00£2,009.62
Dyrham and Hinton£9,200.00£778.00£2,045.15
Emersons Green£269,073.00£131,862.00£2,036.40
Falfield£7,580.00£643.00£2,002.91
Filton£986,694.00£26,373.00£2,299.85
Frampton Cotterell£354,700.00£32,011.00£2,124.87
Great Badminton£2,685.00£0.00£2,002.63
Hanham£54,531.00£73,915.00£2,036.28
Hanham Abbots£70,070.00£60,609.00£2,032.05
Hawkesbury£23,597.00£4,031.00£2,028.45
Hill£500.00£0.00£1,986.43
Horton£6,500.00£2,646.00£2,025.99
Iron Acton£57,758.00£845.00£2,072.41
Little Sodbury£520.00£0.00£1,985.93
Marshfield£66,545.00£10,861.00£2,079.74
Oldbury on Severn£17,595.00 £91.00£2,024.61
Oldland£184,717.00£183,772.00£2,052.06
Olveston£68,750.00£4,767.00£2,058.58
Patchway£816,643.00£53,472.00£2,183.83
Pilning and
Severn Beach
£74,670.00£39,415.00£2,071.96
Pucklechurch£87,026.00£22,154.00£2,090.07
Rangeworthy£13,000.00£1,318.00£2,021.42
Rockhampton£3,315.00£335.00£2,019.75
Siston£40,000.00£98,731.00£2,062.66
Sodbury£282,414.00£45,584.00£2,130.73
Stoke Gifford£465,000.00£96,191.00£2,068.06
Stoke Lodge and
The Common
£61,346.00£9,961.00£2,076.26
Thornbury£835,313.00£92,576.00£2,146.41
Tormarton£7,500.00£445.00£2,022.47
Tortworth£200.00£0.00£1,980.20
Tytherington£34,350.00£3,254.00£2,072.74
Westerleigh£92,438.00£7,033.00£2,039.73
Wick and Abson£85,000.00£2,432.00£2,093.54
Wickwar£54,960.00£12,473.00£2,049.79
Winterbourne£185,350.00£29,642.00£2,032.20
Yate£1,539,994.00£220,971.00£2,195.54

Download the above table as a csv file.

The total council tax required by the 47 Parish and Town Councils amounts to £8,273,659.

Town and parish councils spending more than £140,000

Net expenditure (£)Net expenditure (£)
2021/22Almondsbury Parish Council2022/23
124,734Recreation164,350
100,000Capital projects68,000
162,700Other services177,627
0Contingencies0
387,434409,977
-238,661Balance Transfer-142,560
148,773TOTAL267,417
Net expenditure (£)Net expenditure (£)
2021/22Bradley Stoke Town Council2022/23
589,020Recreation670,923
199,500Capital projects242,910
1,102,402Other services1,225,667
18,500Contingencies17,500
1,909,4222,157,000
-1,097,741Balance Transfer-1,346,138
811,681TOTAL810,862
Net expenditure (£)Net expenditure (£)
2021/22Dodington Parish Council2022/23
98,500Recreation98,500
0Capital projects0
176,600Other services195,745
4,900Contingencies5,000
280,000299,245
0Balance Transfer0
280,000TOTAL299,245
Net expenditure (£)Net expenditure (£)
2021/22Downend and Bromley Heath Parish Council2022/23
619,718Recreation775,068
91,703Capital projects91,703
199,463Other services385,351
0Contingencies0
910,8841,252,122
-606,384Balance Transfer-947,622
304,500TOTAL304,500
Net expenditure (£)Net expenditure (£)
2021/22Emersons Green Town Council2022/23
25,214Recreation38,000
0Capital projects0
210,989Other services192,065
0Contingencies0
236,203230,065
20,029Balance Transfer62,158
256,232TOTAL292,223
Net expenditure (£)Net expenditure (£)
2021/22Filton Town Council2022/23
535,818Recreation436,711
56,103Capital projects339,394
259,698Other services268,929
0Contingencies0
851,6191,045,034
135,075Balance Transfer-58,340
986,694TOTAL986,694
Net expenditure (£)Net expenditure (£)
2021/22Frampton Cotterell
Parish Council
2022/23
53,816Recreation69,251
0Capital projects30,000
335,483Other services283,330
0Contingencies0
389,299382,581
44,930Balance Transfer27,881
344,369TOTAL354,700
Net expenditure (£)Net expenditure (£)
2021/22Oldland
Parish Council
2022/23
95,423Recreation102,901
0Capital projects0
66,365Other services80,016
0Contingencies1,800
161,788184,717
0Balance Transfer0
161,788TOTAL184,717
Net expenditure (£)Net expenditure (£)
2021/22Patchway Town
Council
2022/23
85,625Recreation100,160
199,814Capital projects431,757
445,216Other services284,726
0Contingencies0
730,655816,643
0Balance Transfer0
730,655TOTAL816,643
Net expenditure (£)Net expenditure (£)
2021/22Sodbury Town
Council
2022/23
86,770Recreation89,770
0Capital projects0
202,618Other services208,025
0Contingencies0
289,388297,795
-15,336Balance Transfer-15,381
274,052TOTAL282,414
Net expenditure (£)Net expenditure (£)
2021/22Stoke Gifford
Parish Council
2022/23
238,100Recreation185,240
37,000Capital projects67,050
232,000Other services280,825
0Contingencies0
507,100533,115
-62,100Balance Transfer0
445,000TOTAL533,115
Net expenditure (£)Net expenditure (£)
2021/22Thornbury Council2022/23
494,094Recreation480,511
0Capital projects124,000
258,180Other services439,587
121,536Contingencies59,435
873,8101,103,533
-89,830Balance Transfer-268,220
783,980TOTAL835,313
Net expenditure (£)Net expenditure (£)
2021/22Winterbourne
Parish Council
2022/23
76,350Recreation76,232
0Capital projects0
109,000Other services103,868
0Contingencies0
185,350180,100
0Balance Transfer5,250
185,350TOTAL185,350
Net expenditure (£)Net expenditure (£)
2021/22Yate Town
Council
2022/23
892,885Recreation960,500
95,252Capital projects101,200
656,313Other services659,376
-136,394Contingencies-102,570
1,508,0561,618,506
-109,554Balance Transfer-78,512
1,398,502TOTAL1,539,994

Download the above tables as a csv file.

Other levies on the council

The following levies and precepts have been received by South Gloucestershire Council:

2021/
2022
£
2022/
2023
£
Land Drainage – Lower Severn
(2005) Internal Drainage Board
£330,795£361,488
Wessex Regional Flood
and Coastal Committee
£365,171£375,327
Avon Fire Authority£7,493,503£7,806,147
Avon and Somerset Police
and Crime Commissioner
£23,648,213£25,155,922

Download the above table as a csv file.

Details of the land drainage and flood defence levies are set out below and reflect current funding arrangements.

Wessex RFCC 2021/22Wessex RFCC 2022/23Lower SevernLower Severn
Drainage Board 2021/22Drainage Board 2022/23
£000£000£000£000
Gross expenditure40,22161,5882,2421,952
Net expenditure4,8943,6811,8631,563
Levy requirement3,8573,4941,3571,485
Changes in levies requirement due to:
InflationN/AN/A3735
Changes in quality/quantity of service N/A N/A 2525
Fees and Charges N/A N/A 45
Other N/A N/A 398-365

Download the above table as a csv file.

Wessex RFCC 2021/22Wessex RFCC 2022/23Lower Severn Lower Severn
Drainage Board 2021/22Drainage Board 2022/23
£000£000£000£000
Change in net expenditure33,87021,367464-300
Transfer from (-) or to (+) balances-408428
Change in levy requirement75-36356128
Council Tax – Band D Properties1,0361,036

Download the above table as a csv file.

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