Bracknell Forest council tax hike approved in budget decision

But Bracknell Forest’s proposals, which set out how frontline services and infrastructure projects will be funded over the next 12 months, were not approved without controversy.

The £90 million revenue budget, which contains cash for social care, bin collections, leisure services and more, featured:

• Around £3.3 million of savings

• Social care pressures which could force BFC to spend an extra £3.85 million in 2021/2022.

• Extra government funding resulting in a £2.3 million investment on projects to support the borough and its residents

• A 3.49 per cent council tax hike to help social care services

READ MORE: The six projects costing £2.3 million set to benefit borough and its residents

Councillor Peter Heydon, Bracknell Forest Council’s finance chief, said of the budget: “Our budget planning has always included short and medium-term situations. That’s why today we remain a strong and robust council despite everything that has happened.

“While our budget proposals are not driven solely by covid, it’s fair to describe them as covid sensitive.

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“It’s always the administration’s intention to bring forward savings that will not have any significant impact on frontline services.

READ MORE: Does Bracknell Forest have one of the lowest council tax levels in the UK?

“I’m pleased to confirm that none of the £3 million of savings included in the budget proposals will result in any service reductions.”

“We will use the additional one-off grants provided by the government to create a one-off funding package[…] which addresses six main recovery areas.

“No tax increase is ever likely to be welcomed, even though this represents an additional 91p per week for the average Band D property.

File photo dated 11/06/13 of a council tax bill as Citizens Advice Scotland has revealed that Scots owe millions of pounds in council tax, according to figures from a charity. CAS has revealed 3,399 people sought its help over council tax debts averaging

“Following this increase, Bracknell Forest taxpayers will still be paying one of the lowest council tax levels of any unitary authority in the country.”

READ MORE: Schools in line for cash boosts as part of Bracknell Forest budget

Labour leader councillor Mary Temperton was given the opportunity to respond to the budget proposals for the first time at a council meeting since they were first published in December 2020.

In her speech, she hit back at claims Conservative councillor Dale Birch made earlier this month which accused the Labour group of wanting to spend all the council’s emergency cash to plug its previous funding deficits.

At this meeting of the executive, on February 9, deputy leader Cllr Birch said: “One of the things that I reflect on is how many years our opposition has always called upon us to use up all our reserves."

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Responding, Cllr Temperton said: “I ask members to decide whether this was a blatant lie, or incompetence.

“[It] is simply not true - I have been Labour leader for nine years, have responded to nine budgets.

“I have written a detailed response to each which are archived within the budget papers.

READ MORE: Hanging baskets set to be scrapped as part of Bracknell Forest budget plans

“None call for the use of all the reserves. I have never urged the Council to use all of its reserves. I have sometimes suggested using ‘some; of the balances, -about £2.5m.”

Speaking about the budget more generally, she said: “The Labour Group considered using the balances to fund the deficit of £2.256m and having no council Tax rise this Year.

“Although very welcome by all our residents we fully appreciate that balances can only be spent once.

“We accept the Council needs its balances to support any in year crisis, and safeguard against any reduction in government grants in the future.

“At the Executive [meeting on February 9], it was said that this 3.49 per increase in Council Tax means a £1 [91p] rise per week for Band D properties. Many will find this a £1 they do not have.

“The extra additions to these papers, since the consultation, recognise extra support is needed.

“With the support in place for those most in need, we reluctantly accept this increase.”

READ MORE: Adult care to switch to group sessions as part of Bracknell budget

Councillor Dale Birch did not respond to Cllr Temperton’s retort, but Conservative colleague Gareth Barnard did address some of her comments.

He said: “I think this is a budget that looks out for all our communities across Bracknell Forest.

“It’s a budget that looks beyond covid with a clear focus on delivering opportunities for all our residents and for those who work in our borough.

“It’s relentlessly focusing on keeping Bracknell Forest a great place to live and work, and we can do that because of many years of sound management.

The council’s budget proposals for 2021/22 were approved at the meeting of full council last night.

Additionally, our funding settlement from Government has enabled us to support activities in 2021 that will help residents & businesses recover from the impacts of the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/K7RsdkiyT8

— Bracknell Forest (@BracknellForest) February 25, 2021

“When the pandemic struck and everything changed overnight, as a council, we worked with officers and partners to make sure residents got the best support they could during these challenging times.

“This will continue. It’s sound financial management that has meant we are in a strong position, [such as] not cutting or slashing services which we see elsewhere in other councils across the country.

“It’s about that relentless focus of doing the very best we can for our residents.”

The revenue budget was approved alongside the capital budget at a Bracknell Forest Council meeting held on Wednesday, February 24.