'Tough decisions' needed to balance Brighton and Hove budget
A council tax rise of just under 3 percent is being proposed
Last updated 3rd Feb 2022
Council bosses in Brighton and Hove are warning that they will need to make 'difficult decisions' to balance the city's budget following the coronavirus pandemic.
A draft budget released by the authority has revealed that savings of £16 million need to be made in the upcoming financial year.
The outlining plans contain spending proposals for more than 700 city services, as well as funding for key projects.
A council tax rise of 2.99% is being proposed for 2022/23, with 1% of that being made up of the Adult Social Care precept.
In all, the council is due to see increased costs and demands totalling £12.1 million over the next year.
Councillor Tom Druitt, joint finance lead for Brighton and Hove City Council, said:
“Developing these proposals has been incredibly challenging. Since 2010 the government has reduced the annual funding available to the council by over £100m, and against a backdrop of increasing demand for council services and all the responsibilities of dealing with the Coronavirus pandemic, the situation is more difficult than ever before.
“Our priorities are the protection of services for the most vulnerable, supporting the city’s recovery from the pandemic, and investing for the future.
The council’s budget for 2021-2022 was £825.6 million, but with savings of around £16 million needed to ensure the council remains on a strong footing for the next financial year and can meet inflationary pressures and growing demands, there will be difficult decisions to make.”
Investments featured over the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 financial years include:
• Over £1 million into housing including increased provision for Temporary Accommodation to support vulnerable residents.
• Nearly £3 million towards a ‘city working for all’, including seafront improvements such as our heritage lighting and Madeira Terraces, as well as increased investments in public toilets, parks and sporting facilities.
• At over £7 million, there is substantial investment being put toward children and family services and adult social care to help meet growing demands and working towards a healthy and caring city. The investment covers mental health services, physical and learning disability services and will support the most vulnerable and care for people in times of need.
• Significant investment is in tackling the climate and biodiversity emergency through climate action and sustainability work. Over £10 million is being invested in areas such as tree management and planting, the Carbon Neutral 2030 programme, the Warmer Homes scheme, open spaces and active travel initiatives, and increasing the number of allotments in the city.
Councillor Hannah Clare, Deputy Leader of Brighton and Hove City Council said:
“We can’t ignore the challenges the city faces.
"That’s why when making these tough decisions we’ve prioritised our spending and investments into our vision for a fairer city with a more sustainable future, helping those most in need and supporting the city’s recovery from the global pandemic.”
A final vote on the budget is set to be taken on February 24th.