Shopowners across the Stroud district might breathe a sigh of relief that the vast majority of parking charges will not be on the rise for the coming financial year.

But if that's a carrot for retail, second homers and those with empty property may have an approaching stick to contend with.

With the council tax cost of a typical Band D property rising by £6.85 to cover Stroud District Council's slice of the service delivery pie, the final bill for such a home will now rise to £2,143.92, which signals a 2.99% rise in the annual levy.

It also marks a financial effort that keeps the cross-party led authority within a 0.01% whisker of the rise that central government now expects local government to manage on.

Presenting a budget that ringfences green initiatives, SDC leader Catherine Braun (Green, Wotton-under-Edge) said that that increase will emerge as a 13p per week rise on last year's total for a typical home.

Outlining the approach for next year, Cllr Braun said improving community facilities, investing in local projects and helping residents struggling with the cost of living remain the headline priorities.

She said: "This budget will deliver improved services for our residents and businesses, in line with the council plan objectives to support our communities and the local economy, and to meet our ambitious climate and nature goals. I'm delighted that we are also investing in new initiatives this year with the project for Stroud station access and the Market Towns Vitality Fund."

Within the nuts and bolts of the plan, car parking charges will stay the same for 86% of SDC's car parks (those on flexible parking hour tariffs). Free parking after 2pm will also be extended for Stroud's Brunell Mall and London Road facilities.

Continuing ongoing refurb and upgrade schemes, £150,000 more is being set aside for play areas, the key areas being six locations in Dursley, Stonehouse, Paganhill, and Stroud.

The agreed budget also confirms continued investment in the network of Community Hubs across the district, with £120,000 allocated for additional climate and nature recovery projects, including more action to curb single-use plastics.

For housing and planning, the budget reiterated a pledge to build eco-efficient council homes, while funding 51 new council homes in Cam, Dursley, Wotton-under-Edge and Cashes Green. Measures to beef up planning enforcement are also priced in, not least £43,000 for holding applicants' feet to the fire on the new requirement for planning applications to consider biodiversity net gain.

On leisure and wellbeing, against the backdrop of SDC having stepped in to administer Stratford Park Leisure Centre later this year, funding is also now allocated to the waste and recycling service for new collection vehicles, with diesel fuel being ditched in favour of lower-carbon hydrotreated vegetable oil.

Further highlights include:

● A new Market Towns Vitality Fund of £200,000 to promote thriving high streets. This will be "co-designed with local town and parish councils, businesses and business organisations over the coming months".

● £200,000 allocated to improve the area around Stroud station. This will involve acquiring land for pedestrian and cyclist access from the Brunel Mall multi-storey car park into the station. Additionally, it will cover the purchase of the historic Brunel-designed Goods Shed to secure the future of Stroud Valleys Artspace on this site, with modernisation work in the pipeline to make the venue more accessible.

● £135,000 is also set aside for a new crowdfunding platform to reward successful local projects with match funding.

Addressing the sombre fact that an increasing number of families in the SDC area are resorting to foodbank usage, the budget also carries a relief provision for those on low incomes to receive council tax bill support tapering up to 100%.

On the allied issue of the housing crisis, and with more than 4,000 people on SDC's waiting list, the council has identified more than 500 second homes and 300 empty properties which is hopes to bring back into use through the use of a council tax premium.

Deputy Leader Natalie Bennett said that a new 100% Council Tax premium on second homes from April 1, 2025 will now come into play. From that date, the 100% premium on empty homes will be apply from one year, rather than from two years currently. It will continue to rise to 200% after five years of a property being empty, and to 300% if a property remains empty after 10 years.

Cllr Bennett added: "The Government's funding settlement for councils assumes all district councils will increase council tax by 3%. We have decided to keep the council tax increase to this minimum level, in the light of the ongoing impact of the cost of living crisis on residents. I'm pleased that there was unanimous support for maintaining our council tax support scheme that already helps the most vulnerable 5,500 households in the district".

● Stroud District Council's services make up approximately 11% of the Council Tax bill, with the other elements provided by Gloucestershire County Council, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire, and the Parish and Town Councils. The council's services include waste and recycling, planning, environmental health, parking, parks and recreation, leisure centres, The Museum in the Park, canal restoration, animal welfare, benefits administration and advice, elections, youth work, upkeep of open spaces including Selsley Common and Cam Peak and Long Down upkeep, plus licensing and flood management