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Wiltshire agrees continued investment in key services.
Budget proposals for 2018/19 were agreed by councillors yesterday.
The decision means the almost £1 billion spent each year on more than 350 services, is aligned to key priorities; to protect those who are most vulnerable, grow the local economy and strengthen communities. The approved budget reflects the challenges of delivering services against a backdrop of continued reduction in Government funding, a sustained increase in demand for some services; particularly adult social care and children’s safeguarding, and the increase in the national wage and inflation costs.
It is planned to continue a programme of capital investment across the county. £310 million over the next four years will be invested to provide strong and sustainable infrastructure that includes £55 million for housing; £21 million to protect and grow the local economy; £96 million for highways; £76 million into schools; and £40 million for community facilities.
In addition, an amendment to the budget was approved that WC will allocate £669,000 (£655,000 from the recently announced Rural Fund, and £14,000 from the additional New Homes Bonus) to go into street scene services to help to improve the environment, including combating litter and fly tipping.
This year the Government Settlement Funding Allocation has been reduced by £18.5 million from £72.3 million to £53.8 million. Plus, the loss of a further £6 million due to the Government not continuing the Transitional Grant. Due to the reduced funding and increased costs and service demands, savings of £25.596 million have to be delivered to balance the books.
Councillors approved a 3% Social Care Levy in line with the medium term financial plan approved last year - that will help, in part, to meet the rising cost of adult social care services. Members also agreed a Council Tax rise of 1% more than published in the financial plan of 2.99%, for 2018/19.
The Social Care Levy and the Council Tax increase (5.99%) will raise around £21 million.
The savings required will be found from reviewing and transforming services and the way we work. The council will become even more business-like and will increase the use of digital channels to enable services to be accessed and provided in different and more efficient ways.
WC will continue to fund services that many other councils no longer deliver, such as:
• Weekly bin collections – some councils have moved to three-weekly, WC collects alternate weeks and have invested in more recycling
• Household recycling centres – Wiltshire has one of the largest number of HRCs per head of population in the country
• Passenger transport – some have removed all, or most, of their subsidy, WC currently subsidise up to £3.50 per passenger journey
• Children’s centres – other councils closed these completely, WC has contracted the management of 25 centres
• Libraries – WC has more than 850 volunteers who help to deliver libraries
• Road maintenance – WC has invested in roads to deliver improvements and access
In the last five years Wiltshire residents have had one of the lowest national increases in Council Tax. Wiltshire continues to have one of the lowest Council Taxes, with no increases from 2010 to 2016. That freeze has resulted in a saving of £1,248 to the average household in the last 10 years.