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Council budget for 2024/25 approved by full council

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Walsall Council’s budget for 2024/25 was considered and approved at a reconvened full council meeting on Wednesday 28 February 2024.

Council Building

A balanced budget for 2024/25 was presented proposing spending, efficiencies and council tax.

“ Setting a balanced budget is a challenge that all local authorities around the country are facing. This is due to a number of reasons including cost-of-living increases, rising demand for many of our services, particularly within adult social care and children’s services, and limited additional funding for councils by government. Our track record of strong financial management has meant we have, however, been able to invest in providing services to our most vulnerable residents.

Inevitably, due to limited government funding, we have had to raise council tax and use some of our reserves to balance the budget. This cannot be sustained on an annual basis, and we welcome the news about an additional £600 million of funding to local authorities, which was announced on 24 January 2024. This is a start, but more is needed - we need a fair, multi-year, government settlement in future years, which provides ongoing funding for adults and children’s social care in particular. “

Councillor Mike Bird, Leader of Walsall Council

To read the papers for the Council meeting, please visit the Council website 

The council’s budget sets out a council tax increase of 4.99% in line with government referendum limits. This includes a general 2.99% core council tax increase plus a 2% precept for adult social care.

This means that in 2024/25, the average Band D Council Tax will see an increase of 27 pence a day, (excluding the fire and police precepts).

This budget details £63.5 million of revenue growth and investment going into council services in 2024/25. This includes:

  • £41.3 million of demand, demographic and price changes within children’s and adult social care.
  • £8.2 million of other services demand and cost pressures, including contractual inflation, regeneration and community initiatives, continuous improvement and quality care within adult social care, loss of income in some services, and investment in our IT infrastructure.
  • £11.2 million of corporate provisions to cover the costs of pay awards, capital investment to fund regeneration projects within the borough, inflationary costs such as energy, fuel and other supplies and services costs.
  • £2.8 million of investment linked to delivering transformation activity.

Also outlined in the budget is the draft capital programme. Significant capital investment of around £370 million is planned for the borough over the next four years to 2027/28.

Examples of investment over the next four years includes:

  • £74 million - Schools funding.
  • £37 million - Highways maintenance, lighting and parking.
  • £8 million - Health and safety works.
  • £29 million - Waste initiatives.
  • £4 million - Enterprise Zones.
  • £36 million - High Streets Fund.
  • £36 million - Towns Deal.
  • £26 million - Willenhall Masterplan/Levelling Up.
  • £10 million - Council buildings maintenance.
  • £13 million - Other regeneration schemes including the Land and Property Investment Fund, active public spaces, expansion of Park Hall and minor capital schemes.
  • £19 million - Disabled facilities and supporting independence.
  • £18 million - IT infrastructure.
  • £60 million - Funding for development opportunities, subject to business case approval.

 

In order to deliver a balanced budget, the report to full council sets out savings of £20.10 million for 2024/25, to be delivered through changing and improving the council’s ways of working. These transformation methods include the use of technology and digitalisation to streamline processes and reduce costs, taking a more commercial approach to income generation, and managing future demand for services. A further £5.13 million of savings is expected to be carried forward from 2023/24 and to be delivered in full in 2024/25.

 

Notes to editors

The Corporate Budget Plan 2024/25, incorporating the Capital Strategy and the Treasury Management and Investment Strategy is available to view on Walsall Council’s Committee Management and Information System (CMIS).

 

For more information about the council’s vision, values and key areas of focus, please read Walsall Council’s Plan 2022-25 on the Council's website.

 

 

Ends

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