Budget 2024-25 consultation

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Consultation has concluded  - This consultation was open from 9 November to 21 December 2023

The consultation was open from Thursday 9 November until midnight on Thursday 21 December. 

During the consultation, an Easy Read version and a British Sign Language version of the consultation were available. Paper versions, Braille, large print, other alternative formats or languages, could be requested by emailing the Consultation and Engagement Team at consultation@bristol.gov.uk or by calling 0117 922 2848. Paper versions were available in libraries.

All responses to this consultation were analysed and the feedback helped us develop final proposals for the level of Council Tax and Social Care Precept. The consultation report describes the consultation feedback. Both Cabinet and Full Council take responses to the consultation into consideration when making their decisions. 


Budget decisions

The council’s Cabinet considered these proposals on 23 January 2024 and agreed a recommended budget for all councillors to consider. 

Full Council at the first budget meeting held on 20 February 2024 voted against the amended budget, resolving to refer proposals back to the Mayor.

The Full Council second budget meeting held on 28 February 2024 considered a report setting out the Mayor’s 2024-2025 altered budget recommendations. This report was approved. The Bristol City Council levels of Council Tax increase of 4.99%; which includes 2% precept to support Adult Social Care, was approved alongside other recommendations. The full details can be found here: ModernGov - bristol.gov.uk.


Background to the consultation

Every year, the council must agree a legal and balanced budget that sets out how much we intend to spend in the coming year and how we propose to raise the necessary income to meet these spending plans.

The council's main sources of income are Council Tax, Business Rates and government grants. Over the past 13 years, the amount of money available to the council has fallen. This is a situation that is being seen across the country and has led to councils facing a cost of operating crisis.

We sought your views on our approach to setting a balanced and legal budget. We asked for your views on the level of Council Tax and Social Care Precept. (Social Care Precept is an additional charge which councils are permitted to add in some years on top of the Council Tax increase to help pay for adult social care.)

We included information about other ways we propose to reduce costs or generate more income, to help to balance the budget. We did not consult on the savings proposals this year because we do not think that they are likely to mean major changes to services the council provides.

We included a comments section where you could give us your views on any aspect of our budget, including our savings proposals if you wished to, and you could tell us your suggestions for other ways we might save money or increase income to balance the budget.

The consultation was open from Thursday 9 November until midnight on Thursday 21 December. 

During the consultation, an Easy Read version and a British Sign Language version of the consultation were available. Paper versions, Braille, large print, other alternative formats or languages, could be requested by emailing the Consultation and Engagement Team at consultation@bristol.gov.uk or by calling 0117 922 2848. Paper versions were available in libraries.

All responses to this consultation were analysed and the feedback helped us develop final proposals for the level of Council Tax and Social Care Precept. The consultation report describes the consultation feedback. Both Cabinet and Full Council take responses to the consultation into consideration when making their decisions. 


Budget decisions

The council’s Cabinet considered these proposals on 23 January 2024 and agreed a recommended budget for all councillors to consider. 

Full Council at the first budget meeting held on 20 February 2024 voted against the amended budget, resolving to refer proposals back to the Mayor.

The Full Council second budget meeting held on 28 February 2024 considered a report setting out the Mayor’s 2024-2025 altered budget recommendations. This report was approved. The Bristol City Council levels of Council Tax increase of 4.99%; which includes 2% precept to support Adult Social Care, was approved alongside other recommendations. The full details can be found here: ModernGov - bristol.gov.uk.


Background to the consultation

Every year, the council must agree a legal and balanced budget that sets out how much we intend to spend in the coming year and how we propose to raise the necessary income to meet these spending plans.

The council's main sources of income are Council Tax, Business Rates and government grants. Over the past 13 years, the amount of money available to the council has fallen. This is a situation that is being seen across the country and has led to councils facing a cost of operating crisis.

We sought your views on our approach to setting a balanced and legal budget. We asked for your views on the level of Council Tax and Social Care Precept. (Social Care Precept is an additional charge which councils are permitted to add in some years on top of the Council Tax increase to help pay for adult social care.)

We included information about other ways we propose to reduce costs or generate more income, to help to balance the budget. We did not consult on the savings proposals this year because we do not think that they are likely to mean major changes to services the council provides.

We included a comments section where you could give us your views on any aspect of our budget, including our savings proposals if you wished to, and you could tell us your suggestions for other ways we might save money or increase income to balance the budget.