By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
A Gloucestershire council will spend more than £1m from its reserves on a dozen projects over the next two years as they have approved a 2.99 per cent council tax increase from April.
Forest of Dean District Council has approved its budget for the upcoming financial year which will see band D properties charged £218.29 a year for their services – an extra £.6.34.
These services include rubbish and recycling collection, planning, environmental services, business support, housing, leisure centres, and public parking.
The total bill households pay will be much higher as it will include Gloucestershire County Council, police and parish council tax where applicable.
Reserves are expected to fall from £12.6m in March 2026 to £10.4m in March 2027.
Finance cabinet member Andy Moore (G, Newnham) presented the budget on February 19.
He said the council will see a real term reduction in funding over the next three years before inflationary pressures are taken into account.
“For 2026/27, the council is proposing a net budget requirement of £13.47m,” he said.
“This is supported by government funding and business rates of £6.46m while the remaining £7.01m is funded through the council tax.”
He said growth projects would be funded on a one-off basis from reserves.
Questions were asked over the Green Party administration’s move to spend £1,038,670 from reserves on projects included in their council plan.
This funding will go towards the creation of a new town and parish officer, supporting a housing officer role and to extend contracts for retrofit, climate engagement and energy community officers as well as food and environmental projects.
Councillor Nick Evans (C, Tidenham) asked about the cabinet member’s use of the word “prudent” in describing the spending of reserves.
He said: “He appears to be spending quite a lot of reserves on single item growth for single years which ordinarily you would expect to see in the revenue line but are actually coming out of reserves,” he said.
“I was rather confused to read the long list of growth items that are funded from reserves and then to hear him describe that as a prudent use of reserves.”
Cllr Moore said it is prudent and the council has reviewed its reserves.
“It showed the amount we were holding was no longer needed,” he said.
“Therefore we believe this money should be used to complete the main objectives of the council’s plan.”