The Royal Borough budget for 2019/20, which sets out investment for services that matter to our residents as well as ensuring front line services are protected, has been approved at Full Council.
Council Tax will rise by 2.99% which keeps it the lowest outside of London while ensuring key services like weekly bin collections remain.
There is also capital investment in our roads and highway network, community infrastructure and resident facilities.
Councillor MJ Saunders, cabinet member for finance, said: “Officers have been working hard on this budget throughout the year and have had to take into account the uncertainty around Brexit, as well as the challenging financial position that all councils have experienced.
“We have seen increasing demand and cost associated with providing children services, adult services and children in care which is expected to continue in 2019/20 and our budget reflects that changing position.
“Through our capital programme we have been able to invest in a variety of key resident services including additional funding for parks and roads which reflect back on the findings from the residents’ survey.”
The highlights of the budget include over £30 million pounds in capital investment:...
- Investing in community infrastructure with over £2.9 million including:
£83,000 on Christmas lights with new lights in Old Windsor and continued investment in Maidenhead.
£150,000 for improving the Guildhall which includes render, windows and redecorating.
£20,000 on new wayfinding signs in Maidenhead as the regeneration programme continues with new sites like Chapel Arches, Maidenhead waterways and the amphi-theatre.
- Investing in our resident facilities with over £14.8 million including:
£350,000 refurbishing Clewer Memorial Pavilion improving toilets and sports storage facilities.
£250,000 for a community café in Dedworth.
£350,000 on Ockwells Park – installation of children’s play area and an extension to the car park.
£150,000 on the new Battlemead Common – installation of parking, footpaths and seating.
Over £200,000 is being invested in our libraries to provide an improved service to our residents.
£200,000 on improvements at our waste transfer and recycling facilities at Vicus Way and Tinkers Lane.
- Investing in roads and our highways network with over £12.7 million including:
£1.2 million on maintaining our bridges including £850,000 on strengthening Elizabeth Bridge on Royal Windsor Way as well as refurbishment to Cookham Bridge.
£1.9m on investing in our roads including pot hole repairs and resurfacing.
£180,000 on replacing and improving the junction at Dedworth Road/Hatch Lane and Parsonage Lane.
£240,000 on extending Boulters Lock car park
£150,000 on road safety schemes across the borough to improve road safety and reduce the number of injuries caused by road accidents.
The increase in the council’s element of Council Tax by 2.99% will see a Band D property rise to £961.33 which is an increase of £27.91 from last year which is just over 50p a week.
The Adult Social Care levy remains the same from previous years at £74.74 for a Band D property and the levy has seen a £20.7 million investment since 2015/16 when it was first introduced.
Read the budget papers in full here.