Budget to be considered by Council’s Cabinet
Charnwood Borough Council’s draft budget will be considered by Cabinet on Thursday February 8, 2024.
The proposed budget includes the creation of a £100,000 grants pot to support community groups who help residents struggling with the cost of living and freezing the cost of the garden waste service.
The budget also contains a proposal to increase the Charnwood element of Council tax by 8p a week for the average Band D property in the borough.
Cllr Ian Ashcroft, lead member for finance, said: “This budget offers support to residents who are currently struggling with the cost-of-living crisis as additional funding is proposed for additional community grants that will support groups and organisations who are helping people in need.
“We have also limited the rise in our Council Tax element to three percent which means an increase of around 8p per week. It’s worth noting that Charnwood only receives around seven per cent of the total that people do pay. The vast majority goes to the county council and other agencies like the police and fire service.
“We have managed to put together a budget that even in these tough times, is not using our general fund reserves. We continue to operate effective and efficient services.”
The proposed Council Tax increase would see the annual charge for the Charnwood element of an average Band D property rise by £4.21 over 12 months (three per cent) from April 1, 2024.
It is also being proposed to increase the Loughborough Special Rate, the equivalent of a parish precept in villages and paid by residents of the town. It is proposed to increase the Loughborough Special Rate by £1.61 (1.99 per cent) from April 1, 2024.
For more information about the budget, please read the Cabinet report: www.charnwood.gov.uk/budget2024
The Council is responsible for a wide range of services including; collecting recycling and refuse from more than 70,000 homes in the borough; supporting homeless people; managing open spaces including the Outwoods; emptying dog bins, litter bins, street cleaning; food safety inspections; licensing of pubs and clubs and taxis; operating Loughborough Markets, town centre events and the annual four-day Loughborough Fair; running Loughborough Town Hall; operating three leisure centres; running Charnwood Museum with the county council; handling planning applications and strategic planning; and operating a 24/7 CCTV system.
ENDS