RBWM News Release
Published: 23 December 2024
Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead
News Release
For immediate use
19 December 2024
Have your say on the borough’s budget proposals for 2024/25
Residents are invited to share their views on Royal Borough proposals that set out how the council plans to set a balanced budget and fund essential local services from April 2025.
The council’s ability to set a balanced budget next year, which it is legally required to do, and be financially sustainable over the next few years is dependent on securing financial support from government. The Royal Borough is not the only council in this position, with an increasing number of local authorities needing emergency financial support to remain solvent.
Recognising the need to undo years of underfunding and cuts, and that the council is on the brink of effective bankruptcy - the proposed spending plans of £127.4m are an increase of £36m on this year’s budget and also include efficiency savings of £6.7m from transforming services and increased income.
The proposals, which aim to help rectify historic budget issues, rebuild capacity in essential front-line services and respond to increases in demand-led pressures in children’s and adult social care, and housing services - also include the Exceptional Financial Support request to government for a £60.3m loan and to raise council tax by an additional 20% above the current limit of 4.99%, without the need for a local referendum.
While meaning an increase of up to £320 for the council element of bills for an average band D property – the equivalent of £6.15 a week - borough bills would remain the lowest of all Berkshire authorities.
Understanding that many residents are already struggling with cost-of-living pressures, the council has included up to £2m in the budget to support the borough’s most vulnerable residents - protecting them from the additional council tax increase, meaning they won’t have to pay above the usual annual increase of 4.99% on their council tax bill.
This builds on support already offered by the council to help residents with their council tax bills – including discretional council tax support and the ability to spread the cost over 12 months.
If the council is unable to secure the level of support required from government, the issuing of a statutory Section 114 notice is almost inevitable – meaning the council is effectively bankrupt and preventing all spending except on essential local services, which we have a legal duty to provide.
The council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Cllr Lynne Jones, said: “Our proposals reflect the difficult decisions needed to ensure that we can balance the budget, and start putting back money into the services that matter to our residents.
“Despite the significant action we’ve taken over the last 18 months to grip the financial situation we inherited, the borough’s unsustainable low level of council tax income combined with high levels of debt means we have no choice but to formally ask government for permission to increase council tax bills above the current cap of 4.99%.
“However, this will enable us to replace services that were historically stripped out - like maintaining our streets, trees and play areas, and support more of the borough’s most vulnerable residents by meeting the rising demand and costs for temporary accommodation and social care.”
For more information, or to have you say as part of the consultation visit: https://rbwmtogether.rbwm.gov.uk/2025-26-budget-consultation
The consultation will run until Thursday 30 January 2025. The Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Panel will review feedback with the draft budget proposals in January 2025. It will then be reported with the final budget for consideration by the council’s Cabinet on Wednesday 26 February and will be voted on by all councillors at Full Council on Wednesday 5 March.