KCC budget consultation

Kent County Council launched recently its annual budget consultation.

We are currently putting together our budget for 2019-20. The pressures on the council - seen in still more dramatic form at many other County Councils and other parts of local government - remain intense, as government grant reduces and demand for services remains strong.

The Council is consulting on a further 5% increase in council tax, made up of the 3% 'referendum cap' (the level of increase above which a referendum would have to be called) and 2% for a 'precept' for adult social care. This remains something that the Council is very reluctant to do, but has little room for manoeuvre (it is striking that, at national level, government projections that local government will have a 'flat cash' budgetary position over the period of the Comprehensive Spending Review is predicated on local government raising the maximum amounts of council tax that it can).

With growing pressures in areas such as social care, KCC has had to realise savings of some £640 million over the last eight years. For 2019-20, the Council needs to realise a further £57 million in savings (all this on a net budget projected to be £967 million). So far some £41 million has been confirmed, leaving a gap to be filled of £16 million. There are a number of major uncertainties still to be resolved, such as the full take from council tax, the treatment of business rates and various government grants. But if other things remain equal, the Council (and those of us who serve in the Cabinet) will face some very difficult decisions.

The consultation runs until 21 November and can be found here.