Be prepared for big hike in Wiltshire Council tax bills
The authority say they need to find £27 million to balance the books
Last updated 14th Jan 2022
Wiltshire Council is proposing an 1.99% increase to our council tax bills for the 2022/23 financial year.
We could also be asked to pay a 1% proposed levy, specifically for adult social care.
As well as the rise in bills, our pockets could also be hit by a planned increase in Wiltshire Council's 'fees and charges', including car parking, green waste collections and other services.
The authority is also planning a reduction in its staffing budget, cancelling some vacant roles and delaying other recruitment processes.
WHY SUCH A BIG INCREASE?
Wiltshire Council say they're having to plug a budget deficit of more than £27 million over the next financial year, which works out as 7% of the authority's entire budget.
Legally, the Council has to set a balanced set of books for 2022/23, and they are predicting an underspend for the end of the current period.
But despite having confirmation that the Government will be giving Wiltshire Council an extra £12.5 million in grant funding, the authority say they're facing huge additional costs, due to the ongoing pandemic and inflation.
They've said energy bills are expected to rise by up to 60%, costing them more of the budget, while spending on adult social and People services are forecast to rise by a combined £21 million in the medium term financial strategy.
Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of Wiltshire Council, said:
“This continues to be an extraordinary time to plan for a balanced budget. The Government has provided us with funding during the pandemic to help mitigate some of the huge challenges we have faced, however it has still not been enough to close the gap completely.
“There was also rising demand for services prior to COVID-19, so this continues to be a very challenging and uncertain time for local authorities up and down the country.
“It is not a time to make short term fixes, it’s vital we look at the bigger picture and ensure we can provide services that we will be able to sustain for years to come.
“We’ve had to make some really difficult decisions in putting together our proposals, but we need to do what is right for the long-term so that we continue to have a strong foundation going forward, as the next few years will only bring more challenges.
“So much has changed for public services over the past decade and it’s vital we are agile and try to stay ahead of the curve. There’s a bright future for our county, and we’ll do what we can to support the people of Wiltshire to be empowered, ensure our communities continue to be exciting places to live, help our local economy to thrive, and lead the way in how councils mitigate against the challenges of climate change.
“These proposals will be robustly scrutinised over the next few weeks before they are formally presented to Full Council and I very much welcome this transparent and important process.”
SPENDING IN OTHER AREAS
Wiltshire Council tell us they are however, planning to spend more than £300 million on capital projects across the county during the next financial year.
Some of those schemes include:
- Over £3m for Leisure, including £800k investment in fitness equipment
- More than £10m in Future High Streets projects for Salisbury and Trowbridge
- More than £27m in the council house building programme and more than £17m in refurbishing of council house stock
- More than £46m invested in education and skills, including £6.5m investment in school maintenance
- More than £8m being invested to make council properties more energy efficient
- More than £16m on highways structural maintenance
We're told no final decisions on the budget have been made yet, with the proposals due to be discussed at a Full Council meeting on February 15th.
HAVE YOUR SAY
There'll also be a chance to find out more about the budget and ask any questions we might have during a webinar that's being held on Tuesday 18th January from 5.30pm.
It's a Microsoft Teams event.
We can submit questions to be asked during the session by emailing communications@wiltshire.gov.uk no later than midday on 17th January.