COUNTY and district councils in the area have announced their budgets for 2017/18, and it appears that belts will continue to tighten as council taxes rise.

Cllr Richard Boyles, Forest of Dean District Council (FDDC) cabinet member for finance, said: “The council is preparing for a financially difficult year, against a background of declining government funding and rising costs.

“Council tax will increase by two per cent and garden waste charges will increase by £2 a year, but there will be no reduction in front-line services and car parking charges will once again be frozen. We will also be pressing ahead with some major projects, such as a property investment portfolio to help the council become more self-financing.

“Our government core funding has been reduced by almost 65 per cent from £6.8m to £2.4m and the chancellor’s proposals for future years will see our revenue support grant phased out by 2020.”

Cllr Phil Murphy, Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) Cabinet member for resources, said: “We’re delivering our proposals through an internal efficiency drive and an indicative proposed council tax increase of 3.95 per cent. We’re prioritising school spending and planning a significant growth in social care budgets for adults’ and children’s services. The council still needs to find £243,000 and work is continuing to bring forward further options for cabinet to consider.”

Gloucestershire County Council asks residents to have their say on its proposals that focuses on vulnerable adults and children as well as prioritising the county’s roads.

The consultation is available to complete at www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/budget2017 until Thursday, January 19.

The council is proposing a 1.99 per cent council tax increase and an adult social care levy of two per cent on top. For an average band D household the proposed total increase would be £45.25 per year, or £3.77 per month.

Cllr Ray Theodoulou, deputy leader and cabinet member for finance, said: “The council has to focus resources on the most vulnerable adults and children in our county; however we know that both businesses and residents want to see further improvements made to our roads.

“Funding from the government is decreasing year on year so the proposed budget is £397.13 million for 2017/18 – a reduction of £11.34 million from 2016/17.”

The Forest Council’s full proposal can be found under item nine of the December 15 cabinet meeting agenda at www.fdean.gov.uk and you can comment by visiting the council’s website www.fdean.gov.uk/go/budgetconsultation.

MCC’s full proposals are available at www.democracy.monmouthshire.gov.uk under December 16 meeting.