Photo of offices with council logo superimposed.

South Glos council tax to rise by 4.99% for 2023/24

South Gloucestershire Council’s element of the council tax levied on local households is to increase by 4.99 percent from April 2023. The latest rise follows an uplift of 2.99 percent in 2022/23 and 4.99 percent in 2021/22. This year’s increase once again includes a ring-fenced adult social care levy, this time 2 percent. Bradley Stoke households in a Band D property face an annual increase of £104.79.

Continue reading
Logo of Bradley Stoke Town Council.

Councillors baulk at 16% hike in cost of funding town’s extra police officer

Councillors have expressed “significant concerns” regarding a requested 16 percent annual increase in the town council’s contribution towards the funding of an additional part-time police officer dedicated to Bradley Stoke. They are also unhappy at the “lack of visible police presence” in the town and the “withdrawal of police support for community events”.

Continue reading
Map with council logo superimposed.

Consultation on proposal to increase number of town council wards

South Glos Council is running a public consultation on a proposed change to the number of town council wards in Bradley Stoke. In order to avoid the need for “long ballot papers” at elections and the potential for “expensive by-elections” (due to the large number of voters in each of the current wards), it is proposed to increase the number of town wards from three to five.

Continue reading
Headshot of a man superimposed over a council noticeboard.

Town councillor resigns from Conservative Party amid “officer bullying” claims

A Bradley Stoke town councillor has resigned from the Conservative Party in response to what he describes as “bullying and targeting” of council officers by fellow councillors within the majority Conservative group. The Journal understands that the councillor initially submitted a letter of outright resignation, but was persuaded to stay on as an independent.

Continue reading