Fifth Year of Council Tax Freeze Enabled by Strategic Approach to an Extraordinary Challenge

- Council Tax Freeze for fifth straight year
- Services saved
- Investment in the future
- Extra £1 million for pavements amongst new investment in communities

Bedford Borough Council approved proposals for a freeze on council tax for a fifth year when it met to consider its budget for 2015/16. The Budget, which received unanimous support from councillors, also gives the go ahead to plans to protect valuable services for residents in the borough and invests in the Borough's future. Alongside this, the budget will deliver the £9.1m of required savings in the face of unprecedented Government cuts and rising demand for Council services.

The recent government funding settlement confirmed that the Council's main government grant has been cut by a third within just two years. However, the rigorous savings programme and business and housing growth reflecting a thriving borough enabled the budget to include a fifth straight council tax freeze and the continuation of the Council's record of protecting frontline services.

In addition, the budget includes extra investment in key areas, including more money for adaptations to enable disabled people to stay in their own homes and an additional £1 million for pavement resurfacing.

Commenting, Mayor Dave Hodgson said: "This budget was put together as a result of our ongoing work to protect frontline services and keep council tax down for local households, with a fifth successive freeze. In the face of rising demands and a huge reduction in the Council's funding, there have been no closures of libraries, leisure centres or children's centres, while weekly bin collections, a strong rural bus network and other services being lost elsewhere continue to be supported.

"We are also investing in our local communities and in the Borough's future, with the extra money for pavement resurfacing and construction of the western bypass, for example."

Cllr Michael Headley, Portfolio Holder for Finance, added: "This budget includes a fifth straight council tax freeze, and also delivers major investment to enhance and improve local facilities and services. For example, not only have we safeguarded the future of leisure facilities, but we are implementing £3 million of improvements. We are also investing in our children's future, with the continuation of our ambitious programme to replace all temporary school classrooms with high quality permanent facilities."