Our budget challenge
Your local council tax funds over 400 local services - from waste collection, street cleansing and libraries and museums, to fostering, children’s services and adult social care for the vulnerable.
Despite strong financial management, our budget for local services is under severe pressure and has been for over 10 years. This is because of several factors. The central grant we receive from Government has reduced significantly over the last 10 years.
This means that most of our funding for services we provide to you comes directly from local council tax, business rates and income from other fees and charges like car parking. Pressure and demand for services is also rising higher than ever before. Just like residents, the council is also being impacted by inflation and rising fuel and energy prices. This means our services are also more expensive to run.
In simple terms, the cost of running council services is now higher than the money we can raise through Council Tax and other fees. Even raising council tax and other charges does not bring in enough money to close the budget gap, and so over many years councils have had to make savings and look where service costs can be reduced.
Watch our video to find out more.
Budget 2024/25
Full details of the current 2024/25 budget can be viewed in the Budget Book 2024-25 and on the democracy website under minute number 112.