People across Leicestershire are being asked for their views on a new four-year budget plan.
Leicestershire County Council has launched a consultation after publishing proposals showing that rapidly rising demand for services, and inflation, are increasing costs by £217m. This compares to expected extra income and savings of £122m.
The plan includes earmarking just under £100m more to support vulnerable children and adults, £12m more to fix potholes and repair roads and a 4.99 per cent Council Tax increase.
The authority is set to balance the books next year by using reserves to manage a small gap. By 2027, this gap is forecast to increase to £42m and rise to £95m by 2029.
Unlike many other councils, we’re not at crisis point. Tough decisions and major re-designs of services have stood us in good stead and are bringing down costs.
Person:Councillor Lee Breckon, cabinet member for resources
But pressure on local government is continually ramping up. With three-quarters of our budget now spent on supporting vulnerable people, we need the Government to tackle the big issues.
Council Tax remains our most important source of income. No one wants to ask residents to pay more but without it, we couldn’t deliver the services we know our residents rely on.
The council’s yearly budget totals £616m – the authority is one of the biggest organisations in Leicestershire, spending around £10m every week on crucial services for Leicestershire residents.
Lee Breckon added: “We’re in an extremely challenging position and it’s important we hear people’s views. I’d encourage everyone to make time to complete our short questionnaire.”
The consultation runs until 19 January - have your say
Residents’ Council Tax bills include levies from district councils, police, fire and parish and town councils who all set their own budgets.
The proposals at a glance:
• The books balance for next year by using reserves to manage a small gap – with a budget gap of £42m in 2027, rising to £95m by 2029
• Just under £100m more to support vulnerable people – in response to huge increase in demand
• An extra £12m of capital to help fix potholes and repair roads - taking the total spend on roads, major schemes and tackling flooding to £125m
• A Council Tax rise of 4.99% from April – generating an extra £20m which covers only the National Living Wage and National Insurance increases
• £33m of savings – including redesigning services, reducing the cost of back-office support services by maximising digital technology and smarter procurement, plus £52m to bring spend on SEND more in line with Government funding
• A £380m four-year capital pot – to fund one-costs of building roads, social care accommodation, new school places needed to support new housing, and more.
What happens next
All feedback will help to shape the final budget proposals. The council’s final budget is agreed at a full county council meeting in February.