Council agrees draft budget for consultation
Tuesday, 8 January 2019
Today, our Executive approved our draft budget for consultation and called on everyone who lives and works in Central Bedfordshire to have their say on proposals to invest some £196 million on public se
These services include those that are available to everyone, such as bin collections, leisure centres, libraries, parks and open spaces. We also provide more specialist services, which include child protection and support for vulnerable adults.
Maintaining these services has been challenging, particularly as the demand is increasing and national funding has reduced with our Revenue Support Grant reducing from £43 million to zero this year.
Despite this, we've managed to keep our community services running without closing facilities like libraries and leisure centres and also increasing investment in roads and other services.
In endorsing the budget at Executive today, Councillor Richard Wenham, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Corporate Resources said: "Value for money continues to be at the heart of our thinking at Central Bedfordshire Council. We have a strong track record in delivering savings and we suggest a range of proposals to make us ever more efficient in this budget"
"In total, we're looking to reduce its expenditure by £14.8 million through measures such as reducing the number of buildings it works from, making more services available online and improving its procurement and commissioning of services from external companies.
"The budget also proposes a Council Tax increase of 1% which would mean a 29p weekly increase for an average household (Band D) in our area. This less than half the current rate of inflation.
"We're asking the public their views on this and to indicate where they would like to see further investment with options including enhanced community resilience, recreational and social care services.
"We have a successful track record of delivering major investments like new roads, leisure centres and independent living schemes and the budget includes proposals for much more like the providing new school places, the new M1/A6 link road and improving the A421, road maintenance and integrated health and care hubs in Dunstable and Biggleswade.
"Last year we received more than 1,500 responses to our budget consultation. We listen carefully to what local people tell us about their priorities and I hope we can continue to encourage this feedback."
Councillors then consider all responses before the final budget is approved by Council at a meeting on 21 February 2019.