As 2025 starts we will have just ended the first quarter of the 21st century. I would like to wish all readers of The Local Answer a Happy New Year.

For me, the second half of 2024 was an exciting and challenging time as I became leader of Gloucester City Council.

Whilst most people were preparing for Christmas, council officers and cabinet members were working hard to prepare the five-year money plan.

The money plan, which also contains the 2025/26 budget, was finalised once we had the government’s provisional settlement in just before Christmas.

A maximum council tax rise of 2.99%

It had a revenue budget of £18 million based on a maximum council tax rise of 2.99%.
The council’s aim is to secure more funds to help support the building of new affordable homes, provide better support for the homeless, and to pay for more planning officers in what is an overstretched development control team.

The £42m budget will help to support regeneration projects and social housing

There is a capital budget of £42m, consisting of £14m to complete the Forum, £12.2m for the Greyfriars project, £8m to improve GL1 and Oxstalls Tennis Centre, and £3.5m for social housing.

The budget for next year will be presented to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee on the 20th of January, before it is signed off by the cabinet, ahead of it being taken to the annual budget meeting of the full council on the 27th of February.

As my cabinet is leading a minority administration there may well be some negotiation with the other political groups to get it over line and approved by a majority of elected members.