The Lib Dem/Labour coalition decided to raise council tax by the full amount, increase car parking charges and raise the garden waste collection fee by a staggering 19%.
Its members also agreed to reduce South Gloucestershire’s flood defences, cut funding for town and parish councils and offload the running of Grimsbury Farm to a third party.
The Conservative Group voted against all these measures at the budget meeting on Wednesday 11 February, and spoke passionately against them. Sadly, the Lib Dem/Labour coalition voted for them anyway.
The coalition has been in power for the past three years. In that time, it has racked up a budget deficit of £35 million. It was only able to balance the budget by using £20 million of reserves.
