Stratford-on-Avon District council's budget for the new financial year has been set

Stratford-on-Avon District council's budget for the new financial year has been set.

The amount residents will be asked to pay for a Band D property is £164.12, an increase of £5. This is an increase of 3.1 per cent.

The district element of the Council Tax was set at a meeting of the council on Monday February 26.

A spokesperson for the Liberal Democrat-led council said: "This means that all the services provided by the district council cost £3.16 a week for a Band D household. This contributes to meeting the cost of providing a wide range of services including recycling and waste collection, planning, street cleaning, housing, housing benefits, leisure services and children’s play areas.

"Although the district council acts as the collecting agent for Council Tax, it only receives 7.2 per cent of the Council Tax paid by residents. Warwickshire County Council receives the lion’s share of 76.7 per cent, the police 12.8 per cent and towns/parishes 3.3 per cent.

"This means the district council only retains 7.2p of every £1 paid in Council Tax to provide its range of services."

Cllr Susan Juned, leader of Stratford-on-Avon District Council, said: “This budget has been built around the priorities of our new Council Plan. As we prepare for the future, we need to plan ahead with a fund to deliver projects over the next three years.

“The plan is to improve the delivery of council services, stimulate growth in the local economy, deliver better affordable homes, particularly for young people, vulnerable families facing evictions, those who are homeless and victims of domestic abuse. We also want to support the voluntary sector, town and parish councils and community organisations.”

Stratford-on-Avon remains a low-taxing authority, 18th lowest out of 164 district councils across the country in 2023/24.

Cllr David Curtis, portfolio holder for resources, said: “Local Government finance has never been in a more perilous state. 13 years of Central Government cuts and under investment in public services and catastrophic economic policies together with the aftermath of Brexit and the wars in Europe and the Middle East make it exceptionally difficult to plan long-term. So a level of prudence is required.

“At the same time the funds we hold on behalf of residents are there to work for them, providing the services they urgently need and value. Taking into account the requirement to protect them from future volatility, we should not be leaving more than necessary in the bank, when residents are facing the pressures they do. We also need to maintain and improve our infrastructure and ensure we adopt sustainable and cost-effective solutions that fit us for the future.

“Our budget supports the most vulnerable in our community, it introduces measures to adapt to and to mitigate climate change and actively works to safeguard services against future financial pressures.

“This administration has therefore taken an approach which ensures sound financial management, whilst addressing the priorities on which we were elected last May. We made a clear commitment then to listen and respond to the views of people living and working in the district and I’m pleased to say that the outcome of our budget consultation shows that our proposals are widely supported."