Information on the Council's Annual Revenue and Capital Budgets

Our spending plans for 2007-08 to 2009-10

Since taking over the administration of the Council in May 2006, we have examined in great detail the current performance and cost of every Council service.   

We have identified many examples of good quality, well-run servicesand there is clear evidence from the high marks gained in the frequent external assessments that many of our services are modern and effective. Financial management is robust, and sensible decisions have been made about avoiding excessive or destabilising debt and other financial commitments. There are some very exciting and affordable projects in the pipeline. We start from a position of strength. 

This is not just our view - the Audit Commission has recently assessed the Council’s use of resources as ‘good performance’ and this compares well with their 2005 assessment of adequate performance. The Commission also continues to recognise that the Council delivers good value for money and has a stable financial position. 

Over recent months we have consulted more widelythan ever before on our spending proposals and you have told us what is important to you and your views on our proposals. We have listened to your viewsand have changed some of our spending plans:-   

• Concerns were raised about our proposal to end the half-fare scheme for students aged 16 to 18 – we have listened to and agreed with these views and have removed this proposal from our budget;
• Concerns were also raised about our proposals to change the senior citizens concessionary travel scheme and reduce the subsidy paid to bus operators to run Sunday bus services – again we have listened to these views have removed these proposals from our budget;
• In response to views from the voluntary sector we plan to provide additional monies in our budget to promote partnership working with the voluntary sector and enable greater consultation on the review of grants and service level agreements;
• We have also responded to concerns raised about the impact of reducing spending at Woolston learning centre and have removed this proposal from our budget.        

We will keep consulting with you about how we are doing and wish to thank all of you who took part and gave us your views.   

Our spending plans agreed by Council on 26 February 2007 reflect the escalating costswe face to maintain current services due to increased demand particularly waste disposal and social care and national obligations to review our pay strategyto ensure equal pay for equal value.   

Our budget includes new priority investmentsto respond to the concerns you told us about relating to community safety and the environment. Our investments include:- 

• Recruiting, with Cheshire Police, 22 Police Community Support Officersto work with local communities across the borough; 
• Establishing a ‘green initiatives fund’ to increase recycling, make sure our streets and landscaped areas are cleaner and tidier and improve the speedy removal of graffiti; 
• Increasing the hours for front-line youth workers to work with our children and younger adults;
• Offering free swims at our leisure centresfor our children in the summer holidays.        

Escalating costs and these priority investments mean we have had to take tough decisions to ensure that money is spent on our priorities and that our spending plans remain affordable.   

Our budget details the challenging efficiency savings and increased income targets we have set for services so that we can protect the front-line services that matter the most to you. Next year we will deliver £4.7m efficiency savings and will increase our income by £2.6m. We have also had to look at reducing spending on a limited number of services and our spending plans detail the £1m savings we plan to make. 

Even with these challenging savings plans, we have had to increase council tax by 5% for council servicesin 2007/08. For a Band D property this means a 93 pence per week increase (an annual increase of £48.51). Over recent years the Council has kept council tax increases as low as possible and we will continue to do so. This has however resulted in Band D Council Taxpayers in Warrington paying £97 less a year for council services when compared to the average council tax level for similar all-purpose councils. 

As the collection authority for fire, police and parish precepts the Council does not set the level of increase in council tax for the services these authorities provide. The table below identifies the overall Band D council tax for 2007/08 agreed by Council for the services provided by the Warrington Borough Council, Warrington Parish Councils and Cheshire Police and Fire Authorities. 

• Download the complete 2007-2008 to 2009-2010 Council Spending Plans document 
• Download the 2007-2008 Council Tax Guide  

Let's continue to work together for Warrington.

Ian Marks Keith Bland
Leader of the Council Deputy Leader of the Council