Swindon bosses reveal 80% of annual budget will be spent on 'those who need it most'
The Borough Council has revealed its priorities for the next financial year
SWINDON Borough Council has released its annual report, confirming its £156.7m budget for the year ahead.
It has also reaffirmed its commitment to six priorities, around economy, culture, safety and the environment.
There are also commitments to building new homes, creating more school places, upgrading roads, and enhancing the country parks and leisure facilities.
The net budget for 2022/23 is £156.7million, with the council saying 80 per cent of it will be spent “on helping those who need it most in our community.”
This includes a rise in council tax of 2.99 per cent per year for the next three years – 1.99 per cent for “general funds” (which can be spent on any services), and one per cent which can only be spent on adult social care.
£118m of the budget comes from council tax (75 per cent), £34.2m comes from Business Rates (22 per cent), and the remaining £4.5m comes from Government Revenue Support Grants (3 per cent).
£78m – almost half – of this will go on adult services, with £46.3 going on children, families and community health services, £18.5m on waste collections, country parks and tree maintenance, and £3.8m on roads and buildings.
There is also £7.1m earmarked for “economy, development, skills and libraries”, and £3m for “keeping people safe”.
To keep the budget balanced – which is required by law – the council must also deliver savings of £11.3m next year.
Other standout figures in the booklet include £170m from central government to be spent on Swindon’s roads, which it admits is a “key issue for residents”, and £100m of investment in town centre projects.
'Improve quality of life for Swindon residents now and in the future'
The council has also committed to six priorities for the next year: “Building an economy that works for you; protecting and enhancing our heritage, cultural and leisure facilities; delivering sustainable growth; equipping all young people with the education and skills they need; making Swindon greener and more sustainable; and making Swindon safer, fairer and healthier”.
Councillor David Renard, leader of the Council, said: “Our Council Plan 2022–25 sets out our priorities for the next four years. This includes building new homes, creating more school places, upgrading roads, and enhancing our country parks and leisure facilities. We’re also leading over £100m of investment in town centre projects to help stimulate commercial investment in new shops, amenities and homes.
“Across education, health, crime, the local economy and climate change, we’re working with partners to improve the quality of life for Swindon residents now and in the future.
“None of this is possible if we don’t live within our means. That’s why we continue to manage our budget responsibly and make every pound count.”