At their meeting on 27 January 2022, Horsham District Council Cabinet Members will be asked to set the Council’s financial and capital budget for the coming financial year which starts in April. This follows receipt of encouraging information from central Government about the amount of provisional financial settlement the Council will receive during the coming year.
Despite the impact from Covid-19, the Council is still well placed to meet current challenges.
We continue to charge the lowest Council Tax in West-Sussex and remain in the lowest 25% in the UK, yet we maintain high quality services for our residents. Sound financial management demonstrated by prompt action taken during 2020 and healthy reserves put us in a good position to also sensibly invest in the future, including significant investment to meet the environmental challenges of the climate emergency.
In 2022/23, we will be carrying out a £10million capital programme which will see us replacing existing corporate vehicles, providing disabled facility grants and boosting housing enabling grants for the benefit of residents, amongst various other necessary infrastructure improvement initiatives.
We will also be in a position to invest in ambitious projects such as:
- Some £1million on climate change initiatives, helping to reduce the Council’s direct emissions to help it become carbon neutral by 2030 and improve the local environment
- £200k to support local business post-pandemic economic recovery across the District
- £140k on an extensive programme to tackle the increasing threat of Ash dieback disease to protect our parks and green spaces
- £200k towards events to build upon the legacy of the 2019 Year of Culture
- Investment to help our Community Link customers switch from analogue to digital telecare systems
- Groundwork for future investment options at key venues such as the Capitol theatre and Southwater County Park.
The Council is budgeting for a modest surplus in 2022/23. The net budget requirement for 2022/23 at £12.2m is £1m higher than in 2020/21, reflecting the continuing impact of Covid-19 as well as ongoing annual inflationary and salary cost-pressures.
The budget proposes an increase in Council Tax for 2022/23 of £4.57 year, which equates to 9p per week for the average household (based on a Band D equivalent home). This represents an increase of 2.9%, where in 2021 rising costs have seen inflation rising from 1% to 5%.
Horsham District Council Cabinet Member for Finance and Parking Cllr Tony Hogben commented:
At this current time the pressure on local authority finances is unprecedented. This year’s budget setting process has been one of the most challenging, yet I am extremely encouraged by how well we have rallied as a council to recover from the significant financial impacts presented by the pandemic.
Against this backdrop, as a result of prudent financial planning over a number of years, we can continue to work to deliver our ambitious capital programme plans and continue to deliver exemplary services for the benefit of residents of the District.
Cllr Tony Hogben, Cabinet Member for Finance and Parking
The proposals, if supported, will be recommended to full Council on 9 February 2021.
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