The South Glos Post

South Gloucestershire Council’s Core Strategy is on track for consideration by a Government Inspector, following the end of a final ‘publication period’ on 17th February.

The district’s planning blueprint was approved by Council in December, with the seven week publication period providing an opportunity for local people to review and comment on the document in its final form.

More than 350 submissions or representations were received from organisations and individuals during the publication period and these will be passed to the Inspector, with the Core Strategy documents, next month.

The Inspector is expected to hold the strategy’s formal ‘examination in public’ in the spring.

Executive Councillor for Planning Brian Allinson said:

“This is a significant milestone for a very important document.”

“The Core Strategy is South Gloucestershire’s planning blueprint for the next 15 years and will allow us to guide development in response to the needs and ambitions of our local community.”

More information about the Core Strategy can be viewed online at: www.southglos.gov.uk/corestrategy

South Gloucestershire Conservative councillors succeeded in freezing the Council Tax for a second year running at last night’s council budget meeting, pumping more funding into elderly care and rewarding communities that have seen housing growth .

At the meeting, all councillors were asked to support the recommendations of the Conservative Cabinet, which included:

• Freezing the basic Council Tax for a second year running – saving the average household £93 over the two years
• Extra funding of £5.6m over the next three years for community care services to meet additional demand
• Additional council funding to maintain planned school building improvements first set out last year, as well as support for school energy efficiency improvements
• Plans to use the district’s New Homes Bonus allocation to support additional investment in infrastructure, protect frontline services and support over £700K of new initiatives in communities that have seen new housing growth.

But Labour councillors voted against the plans and have been criticised for failing to stand up for hard-pressed households and vulnerable residents.

And not all Lib Dem councillors backed the budget either, leaving only Conservative councillors to give their unanimous support.

More: Decision "keeps £100 in pockets of average Council Tax payer" »

Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council

Labour councillors in South Gloucestershire last night voted against the ruling Conservatives’ budget package, arguing that they were being asked to sign a blank cheque because of the lack of critical detail it contained.

In a speech to the Council, Labour Leader Cllr Andy Perkins pinpointed his party’s concerns about the 2012/13 budget in terms of its lack of transparency, lack of detail and future sustainability, saying:

“Labour supports the Council Tax freeze but the ruling Conservatives have not been open that this has only been possible due to £5.6m worth of sweeteners from central government for setting a zero council tax. Without these sweeteners the Conservatives would have to raise Council Tax this year by 5.0% in order to balance the books – and that, under their new Localism Act, would trigger a local referendum.”

The single largest component to balancing the budget is a series of Transformation Reviews which will deliver £43m of savings over the next three years. However, the detail of what this will mean in terms of services, charges and staff has not been spelt out to councillors.

More: "Lack of detail" condemned by Labour councillors »

Source: South Gloucestershire Labour

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is today announcing £1 billion additional support for UK businesses at a national conference staged at the Bristol and Bath Science Park in Emersons Green.

The funding is part of the Regional Growth Fund and takes the total fund to £2.4 billion.

Nick Clegg is being joined by Business Secretary Vince Cable and his Ministerial team at the Government’s Manufacturing Summit, which is bringing together industry leaders from across the UK to discuss progress, challenges and next steps for the sector.

Issues being discussed include the commercialisation of new technology and research, promoting manufacturing and increasing exports.

Leading manufacturers from across the South West will also be showcasing new technologies and products developed in the region to delegates from across the UK.

More: "Regional Growth Fund is already having a huge impact" »

Source: Bristol and Bath Science Park