Prudent and positive budget for year ahead approved by councillors

The budget focusses on funding many day to day Council services and a small number of new initiatives, whilst accounting for external pressures.

The Council is well aware of the continuing cost of living challenges which many people face. We have been piloting a ‘Financial Inclusion’ pilot programme for several months now, if this pilot is deemed to be successful, then it will be funded.

Where people are identified as likely to face financial issues, or who are actually in difficulty, specially employed staff can work one-to-one with them to figure out which extra benefits, grants or other forms of help that may be available. Helping people find extra income they are entitled to means they are better able to pay their bills or get out of debt.

Openness and transparency in how decisions are made is always important and the Council has budgeted for equipment to allow live streaming on the internet of our public meetings. This means anyone with an internet connection will be able to see meetings from anywhere, rather than having to come to the Civic Centre to watch in person.

A review of the Council’s Local Plan is also being funded. The Local Plan provides essential details on where housebuilding will be allowed and the types of homes or other features the Council would support.

Also included in the budget is funding to:

• meet the Government’s requirement to increase employer’s National Insurance payments to the Treasury,
• raise the salaries of some employees to reflect the Government’s increase in the National Minimum Wage, and to
• pay for essential works to Council buildings and assets.

The budget also accounts for an annual cost of living pay rise for employees which is subject to consultation with Unison, our trade union, and it references potential expenditure on salaries following an externally-led exercise reviewing the employment grades of all staff members.

Committed to controlling spending and creating income

Earlier this year, Council staff carried out a line-by-line review of every area of spending to create savings on existing programmes This budget challenge exercise resulted in £828,000 becoming available without significant change to how individual services or functions were delivered.

Further savings or higher than expected income has come due to:

• take up of paid-for services such as garden waste collection,
• reductions in salary costs,
• lower than planned increases fuel costs after the Council’s vehicles switched to HVO fuel, and
• a lump sum payment from HMRC following the successful outcome of an historic VAT claim.

The Council owns a number of buildings such as office blocks. Rental payments from these buildings brought in more than £10m to the Council to help fund services to residents.

Writing in the budget papers, which were approved at a meeting of the Full Council on 6 February, the Council’s Assistant Chief Executive in charge of finances, Amanda Fahey, said: “The Council has, through the delivery of savings, efficiencies and income generation, put itself in a good position, more than balancing its revenue budget for the next financial year….The Council intends to continue its drive for continuous improvement, and to deliver further savings and efficiencies during 2025/26. The pragmatic and prudent approach taken to date has enabled a positive budget to be prepared while the on-going Service Review Programme and Savings and Efficiencies work stream will continue during 2025/26, to ensure further net budget reductions are made to offset anticipated future pressures.”

Read the full budget report