Bucks Council 'will not be able to cope' without raising tax

The Conservative-run Bucks council is proposing to raise the levy by 4.99 per cent for 2023/24 and make £30m worth of savings in order to help fill the £63.2m blackhole caused by inflation and service pressures.

Two per cent of that increase will be used to fund adult social care only and the remaining 2.99 per cent will be used to help fund other council operations.

If approved, this will mean a typical household living in a band D property could pay an extra £1.61 a week.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt allowed local authorities to raise council to 4.99 per cent as part of his Autumn Statement. Previously, councils were capped at 2.99 per cent and anything above that limit would require a local referendum.

Chancellor of Exchequer Jeremy Hunt (Image: PA)

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Bucks council leader Martin Tett (Con: Little Chalfont & Amersham Common) said it would be “impossible” for the local authority to cope without the 4.99 per cent increase.

He said: “With the pressures, particularly in adult social care, we absolutely can’t see any way other than putting up the 2.99 per cent basic council tax against inflation of 11 per cent and the extra two per cent for adult social care.”

At the same time, the council has to find £30m of savings to deliver a balanced budget. Some of the cuts include scaling back its special educational needs and disabilities transport, relocating council access points and sites to libraries, and reduce funding for community boards.

It also proposes to increase fees and charges, such as car parking and parking permits, to rake in £21m of predicted income.

READ MORE: Bucks council tax could increase by 2.99 per cent in 2023

Cllr Tett said his administration took some savings out as they were “politically unacceptable,” such as changing bin collections to once a month.

“The reality is that our residents would hit the roof,” he said. “They would be absolutely furious to see the level of council tax they pay for a really degraded service.”

Despite the gargantuan task, Cllr Tett said he was confident the council will be able to deliver the proposed £30m savings without the need to bring the “unacceptable” changes forward or sell assets.

The council had to use £4.8m of its reserves, which are typically used for one-off emergencies, to balance the 2023/24 budget – to much of Cllr Tett’s reluctance.

But he was also not so concerned about the level of the council’s reserves as it is still high enough to cope with unforeseen circumstances without the need to build it back up again.

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Within the £455m draft budget, it sees the adult social care service funded to the tune of £182m and £103.2m for children’s service.

The budget that tackles homelessness is earmarked for nearly £10m, environmental services and plans to tackle climate change could see the tune of £17m, and £56.7m could go towards accessible housing and resources.

Turning to the four-year capital programme, which funds one-off projects such as affordable housing, road and pavement improvements, etc, it has a budget of £494.3m.

Although the council has proposed to cut out pavement structural and patch works, as well as minor road repairs, out of the programme in 2026/27, Cllr Tett said that could return if government funding is forthcoming or it could use its corporate reserves.

Funds to replace traffic signals, erect or repair safety fences, and increase road safety have also been cut from 2026/27. Cllr Tett said he could not commit those to the programme now but could come back within four years’ time if there’s enough slack in the capital budget.

The draft budget could be reshaped following recommendations from councillors sitting on various scrutiny panels before it is adopted by full council next month.