Independent Councillors running Central Bedfordshire Council have produced their draft budget for 2024/25, which is now out for consultation. I encourage residents to have their say. The consultation will close on 9 January 2024.
Times are tough for families up and down the country, and residents told me in the recent council elections that keeping council tax down is really important. Finances are tough for local authorities too, but because of good financial management the previous Conservative-run council was able to freeze the Central Bedfordshire Council precept for the 2023/24 financial year.
I believe we should always keep tax as low as possible - keeping money in your pockets to do with as you want - whilst protecting vital public services. A balance must always be struck and prudent financial management must prevail, but wherever possible I will always argue to keep tax, including council tax, as low as possible.
With a council over-spend forecast at £9m, Independent Councillors have questions to answer about the decisions they have (or haven't) taken since taking control of the council in May 2023.
Central Bedfordshire Council precept is due to increase by 4.99%.
And plans are being cooked-up to cut local services and introduce charges too, such as:
- Introducing fees for garden waste collections
- Slashing bus subsidies, cutting people in our villages off from nearby towns
- Cutting community grants, such as the ward councillor grant, which helps local groups and charities with small but meaningful funding
- Removing food waste bags
- Dimming street lights
The list goes on, and you can have your say at:
https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/info/141/budget/1568/have_your_s…
