Bath and North East Somerset Council has reversed its plans to reduce the operating hours of local recycling centres and to introduce charges for the residents' discovery cards. Originally, the council aimed to save £200,000 annually by shortening hours at Bath Recycling Centre and Old Welton Recycling Centre in Midsomer Norton. Simultaneously, it sought to generate an additional £50,000 a year by charging a “small fee” for discovery cards, which grant residents free access to attractions such as the Roman Baths as well as discounts across the area.
These proposals were set to form part of the council’s 2026/27 budget, scheduled for a vote later this month. However, following extensive public consultation and overwhelming resident opposition, both measures have been scrapped.
Mark Elliott, Bath and North East Somerset Council’s Cabinet Member for Resources, stated, “The council is committed to listening to residents, and I want to thank everyone who took part in the budget consultation. As a result of your feedback, we will maintain the current opening hours for our waste and recycling centres and will not change the terms of the residents' discovery card.”
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The discovery card consultation alone accounted for roughly one-third of all responses, highlighting the community’s strong attachment to the benefit.
Despite this positive news, the council faces a challenging financial outlook. Added pressures include increased costs in adult and children’s social care and the impending government ‘fair funding review,’ expected to result in a £12.6 million loss in funding over the next three years. To bridge a £7.4 million budget gap, the council plans a combination of cuts and new income streams, including a proposed 4.99% increase in council tax. Of this, two percentage points will be earmarked exclusively for adult social care, translating to an additional £90.97 annually for a typical Band D household.
Elliott emphasized the primary use of council tax revenue: “I know that we sometimes get asked: ‘where does my council tax go?’ Primarily, it supports the most vulnerable people in our community.”
Local councillors expressed their views on the recent decisions. Andy Wait, chair of the council’s climate scrutiny committee, welcomed the scrapping of recycling centre hour cuts, noting concerns about increased travel distances for residents if reductions had proceeded. Robin Moss, chair of the corporate scrutiny committee, also supported maintaining free discovery cards. Conversely, some debate arose around plans to generate £250,000 through traffic infraction fines, with vice chair Malcolm Treby cautioning against relying on enforcement as a revenue source.
Mr. Elliott reassured that enforcement aims to uphold traffic laws, not to serve as a profit mechanism.
The final budget will be presented to the council’s cabinet on February 12, before a full council vote at Bath Guildhall on February 24. Elliott concluded, “Despite facing significant funding challenges, this budget protects essential services for children and older people, continues investment in our road network, supports public transport, and keeps our streets clean and safe.”