Choices in Challenging Times - Council approves budget
Cheshire West and Chester Council's proposals for a balanced budget for 2023-24 and 2024-25 and capital programme 2023-2027 were approved by full Council last Thursday 16 February.
The budget package was compiled using information from many sources, a key element of which is the Local Government Finance Settlement that was received by the Council just before Christmas. The draft budget proposals were published on 20 January 2023 and were shaped by comments from residents and stakeholders following last autumn's consultation exercise.
The Council approved an increase in Council Tax, in line with Central Government funding projections, based on an expectation that all councils increase Council Tax by 4.99 per cent. This is made up of a core increase of 2.99 per cent plus an additional 2 per cent to help fund adult social care costs. Residents will see a Band D Council Tax increase of £1.64 per week.
Leader of the Council, Councillor Louise Gittins, said:
Councils have a legal obligation to balance their budgets, and across the country the local government sector is facing unprecedented challenge. The Council was recently praised in a review for its strong financial management, but, even so, inflationary costs pressures on council services, pressures on the social care system, strict limits on central government funding, and continued high demand, have meant that this has proved the most challenging budget in the Council's history. We know that these are challenging times for our residents too and we will maintain our Council Tax Reduction Scheme which provides financial assistance with Council Tax bills for residents who are on a low income.
Based on current assumptions about Government funding and cost pressures, the Council is facing a funding gap of £90.2 million over the next two years.
Councillor Carol Gahan, Member for Finance and Legal, said:
The Council is bringing forward an ambitious programme of investment to secure future savings And deliver new ways of working which will ensure better outcomes for residents and service users. In total £6.7million will be invested In areas that will include measures to support the Children in Care and Care leavers accommodation Strategy and Safeguarding infants programme. An increased investment of £24 million in Adult Social Care will help support the increasing number of adults in the borough needing support and significant inflationary costs. The Council is also investing £11 million in Children's Services to meet the rising cost of supporting children in care. £360 million will also be invested in infrastructure and assets across the borough to make a real difference to residents and visitors, support economic growth and recovery and generate income. We will continue to support the regeneration of town centres and market towns, invest in housing, upgrade and improve highways and transport infrastructure, and improve our leisure facilities to support our residents' health and wellbeing.