Council takes action on financial challenges whilst protecting services

At a meeting of the Executive, Finance Portfolio Holder Councillor Michael Headley outlined the strategies put in place to deal with the financial challenges the Council faces caused by years of Conservative government cuts and huge inflationary pressure. The measures have offset the additional forecast costs from children's social care placements and temporary accommodation, whilst protecting vital frontline services as the Council has done every year since 2009.

Councillor Headley said "The Council has faced considerable financial challenges this year because of the impact of inflation. When you combine this with the fact that the Conservative government has cut our main government grant from £30 million in 2016 to £6 million this year, the challenge becomes even greater.

"We are taking strong action to manage these pressures and ensure we are able to continue to keep Council Tax down for our residents facing cost of living rises, whilst continuing to protect vital frontline services."

Nationally local authorities are struggling with the increased costs and cuts from the Conservative government. The County Councils Network found that three-quarters of English Councils have chosen to increase their core Council Tax by the maximum 2.99%. In Bedford Borough, core Council Tax will rise by only 0.9%. A recent survey also found that 93% of councils are proposing to increase fees for services such as parking and waste. In Bedford Borough, charges for residents' services have been frozen this year which includes car park charges - frozen for the sixth year in a row.