Slough Borough Council

Your views on council budget for 2009/10

We need your views on our budget

The council wants views from residents on the council’s budget for 2009/10.

Every year Slough Borough Council has to set a budget for the services it delivers to the residents of Slough and its priorities for spending.

Despite a tight financial year, the council continues to:

• maintain good quality services
• make savings
• become more efficient to offer value for money to our residents

However, there is still lots the council wants to do to improve quality of life for those who live in the town – so we want to know what you would spend money on and what is less of a priority.

The council wants to hear from residents on what they think the financial priorities for the forthcoming year should be.

Where does the council’s money come from?

The council’s budget comes from a mixture of council tax, business rates and a grant from the government specifically for schools and a grant for other services.

Around £35.8million comes from council tax, which is only 23 per cent of the council’s overall funding.

Because the government puts restrictions on the amount of money it gives local councils. A small increase in the council’s budget can have a big impact on council tax levels, for  example a one per cent increase in the council’s budget could mean a four per cent rise in council tax.

How much is council tax in Slough compared to councils nearby?

Slough still maintains the lowest council tax of all its neighbouring boroughs:

Borough	Average council tax per household 08/09
Slough	£1,087
Reading	£1,190
Bracknell Forest	£1,237
Hounslow	£1,314
Hillingdon	£1,386
Windsor and Maidenhead	£1,386
West Berkshire	£1,436
Wokingham	£1,482
South Bucks	£1,705

Balancing the budget for next year

With such a tight financial position, councillors only have a few options available to them to set a realistic and balanced budget for 2009/10.
They could:

• cut all non-statutory services, and only give the essential minimum to our residents. For example the government’s statutory concessionary fares scheme only extends to the borough’s boundaries whereas the council’s scheme covers all travel to neighbouring boroughs
• increase costs to residents for specific services for example parking, leisure facilities, library fines
• increase council tax up to the maximum allowed by government which is five per cent
• use some of the council’s financial reserves or balances, although these are currently at a low level

What would you do?

The council wants to hear your views on what your priorities for spending would be for next year.

From now until 16 January, the council is asking residents to send in their suggestions, or take part in our budget simulator which allows you to allocate money to specific services and input your comments.

Have your say on this budget consultation in the following ways:

• email your comments on what your priorities are to haveyoursay@slough.gov.uk
• take part in our online budget simulator, which will give you the chance to tell us how you would allocate the council’s budget. You will also see the effect of your decisions if you raise or lower funding in different areas
• call the council’s consultation officer on 01753 875187