Do you know where your council tax is going? With Stroud District Council's 2006/07 budget hot off the press, SNJ reporter Alli Pyrah rounds up the politicians responsible for spending your cash.

THE Conservative cabinet has certainly lived up to its party's name when putting together this year's budget.

Council tax is to remain below the rate of inflation and the cabinet has opted to save rather than splurge, setting aside £200,000 annually into its reserve funds for the next four years.

Of the new public services introduced, elderly people are the main beneficiaries.

Generating tourism is also a priority with £148,000 earmarked to help ensure visitors flow into the planned canal-side attractions.

But the long awaited public transport interchange, which would have created a state-of-the-art bus and rail terminal at Stroud railway station, is going nowhere.

Despite being under discussion for eight years, it has been written out of the budget on the grounds that no progress is likely over the coming months.

Regeneration and Culture:

*£130,000 to be spent on improving public toilets in Stratford Park and Bedford Street *Continuing investment in the £24 million canal regeneration project, of which Stroud District Council is funding £11.9 million *Skateboard facilities for young people to undergo refurbishment *Signs throughout the district to be improved

Portfolio holder - Cllr Nigel Studdert Kennedy said: "If all goes well it's planned that the stretch of canal leading to Brimscombe Port will be open by Christmas 2008."

Community Cohesion - safety and quality of life:

*One new full-time neighbourhood warden for the district at a cost of £14,000 in the first year and £24,000 a year after that. *Investment in the Care and Repair scheme, a non profit-making organisation which helps elderly and disabled people manage their gardens. *From April onwards, UK citizens over 65 will benefit from free bus passes. This is a Government initiative but local authorities are required to contribute.

Portfolio holder - David Wride said: "We are trying to nip issues in the bud so they don't become serious problems. It's quite important we work with young people as well."

Healthy Living: *Part-time youth worker's post to be expanded to a full-time job *Increased funding for care in the community schemes such as the emergency call system for pensioners, which enables them to call a warden when problems arise.

Portfolio holder - Cllr Elisabeth Bird said: "We have increased the funding for youth work and the other half of the plan is coming from the crime and disorder partnership."

Planning:

*Creation of a new job for a major sites officer, to help process large-scale planning applications faster. *All planning applications can now be accessed on the internet at the council's new on-line planning facility at http://www.stroud.gov.uk/planning

Portfolio holder - Cllr Barbara Tait said: "I know a number of councils have already got planning applications on-line but I think it will be very beneficial. It will help speed things up and reduce the amount of time officers spend dealing with the public."

Housing: *Local businesses are being encouraged to come together to bid for the council's large-scale painting and decorating contracts.

Portfolio holder John Jeffreys said: "We want to promote local businesses. There aren't many in this area that can compete for a £1 million contract but they may be able to if they work together. If this is successful we will do it with other types of work."

Commenting on the budget, council leader Chas Fellows said: "Not only are we looking to improve the services we provide, we are also looking towards the future. "I am recommending £800,000 goes into the capital reserves budget over the next four years to ensure we remain a debt-free council. I hope in the long term we can revisit this and draw the money back into the revenue. "I think it's certainly one of the more innovative budgets we have seen. It's addressing some of the difficulties we face and also looking into the future."