BCP Council says its new budget includes invests 'heavily' in services to protect vulnerable but critics slam rises in rent and council tax
BCP Council has pledged its latest budget will invest heavily in services to protect the vulnerable – but opposition members have criticised the impact of higher rent and council tax on residents.
A meeting of the council on Tuesday saw the 2023/24 budget approved by a majority vote. There were six members against and 10 abstentions.
Details of the budget include raising council tax by 4.99% which means a band D property will pay £1,683.23 from 1st April.
Newly elected leader Cllr Philip Broadhead said: "This is a budget, which – despite serious global financial headwinds – balances the books for the forthcoming year, heavily invests into services to protect the most vulnerable in our region, continues the work of putting the council’s finances into a long-term stable position and increases our unearmarked reserves.
"Like all councils we’re facing some difficult choices. Since setting last year’s budget, the cost of running council services has increased by £55m due to inflation alone – as an example, it now costs an estimated £2m extra per year just to power the area’s street lights.
"But where other councils are cutting libraries and leisure centres, we’re protecting core services and continuing successful programmes such as those that have helped reduce anti-social behaviour last year across our towns by around 20% compared to the previous year."
Key points of the budget include an extra £14.6m for children's services and £25.5m for adult services.
The council will put £1.9m into unearmarked reserves to build them up to 5% of net revenue expenditure and a new High Street Renewal Fund will be created.
Speaking at the meeting Cllr Tony Trent of the Lib Dems raised concern over the increase in rent to BCP Council tenants.
He said: "I appreciate 7% seems to be an average increase. Please bear in mind a 7% increase to tenants of BCP homes is more stinging if they are just above that level where they can get help. You can be on quite a low income and not be eligible to get help."
Cllr Diana Butler of the UK Independence Party added: "I would agree with Cllr Trent, a 7% increase for rent is taken at the highest point of the cap the government suggest, which I think is disappointing.
"The people in our area are of varied income and with the cost of living, inflation, jobs and salaries not secure at the moment plus the higher council tax, it is going to have a knock-on effect."
