Residents across Bath and North East Somerset are being asked whether they would support a rise in Council Tax to help prevent further cuts to services and to meet the needs of vulnerable residents.

It follows a series of public webinars in December, receiving almost 300 views, in which council leaders outlined the financial challenges faced by the authority together with their proposals to balance the books for 2021/22 while investing to improve people's lives and deliver the council's priorities.

The council faces significant financial pressures in 2021/22 with the Covid-19 pandemic continuing to have a big impact on its finances together with a rising demand for adult and children's services and inflationary pressures. As a result, the council has identified a predicted budget shortfall of £11.61m.

Councillor Richard Samuel, cabinet member for Resources said: "As we explained in our recent budget webinars, Covid-19 has hit our finances hard and continues to do so. Although we will be calling on the government for additional financial support we can't rely on getting it, so we need to think differently. We must to continue to deliver frontline services, but we will have to make savings and we face hard choices about how we prioritise our spending.

"Our work to improve people's lives and deliver our priorities must continue. This includes creating better, greener spaces through liveable neighbourhoods, investing in our high streets to support retail, tackling the climate and ecological emergency, protecting adult and children's services and tackling inequalities.

"However, to achieve our aims, prevent further service cuts and ensure the needs of our most vulnerable are met, we'll need to draw on our reserves and increase Council Tax. We do though appreciate that its been a difficult year for everyone which is why we're asking residents whether they would support a rise in Council Tax bills. The responses we receive will help shape our spending plans and I urge everyone to have their say."

Residents are being asked to respond to two important questions:

- Are you in support of a general Council Tax increase of up to 2% to help prevent further service cuts?

- Are you in support of an Adult social care precept on Council Tax to meet the needs of our vulnerable residents?

Residents are asked to share their views online or alternatively send their responses via email to [email protected]. All comments must be received by Wednesday 20 January.

You can watch an animation about the budget of B&NES by clicking HERE : the council's You Tube site

Over the coming weeks the council will draw up its detailed spending proposals for 2021/22. The proposals will be:

- scrutinised by councillors at Policy Development and Scrutiny Panels

considered by Cabinet in February 2021.

Final decisions will be made at the council's Budget and Council Tax meetings on Tuesday 23 February.

The meetings will also be live-streamed on that YouTube channel