City Council Seeks Public Input on Budget Plans for 2024/25

The Nottingham City Council is seeking public input on their proposed budget for the 2024/25 fiscal year. The council is grappling with a £50 million funding gap, a common issue among local authorities in the UK due to ongoing challenges with government funding.

In response to this dilemma, the council has presented initial proposals to achieve necessary savings in order to balance the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. It is mandated by law for all councils to ensure a balanced budget, and the Nottingham City Council is no exception.

In an effort to engage with the community, the council has arranged a public event at the Council House on Wednesday, 20 December from 5:30 pm to 7 pm. The event is open to all and does not require prior booking or registration. Participants will have the opportunity to listen to key council members and officials discuss the proposed budget plans, as well as ask questions about the current financial challenges affecting local government.

Following the engagement event, the council’s Executive Board will convene on 19 December to review the proposals and authorize a formal consultation. This consultation will run for four weeks until 16 January, providing community members with the chance to provide feedback through an online survey and additional engagement events, the details of which will be announced shortly.

The proposals under consideration encompass a range of measures such as managing demand, increasing charges, reducing costs, minimizing non-statutory services, and in some cases, discontinuing services and funding altogether.

The financial hurdles faced by the Nottingham City Council are part of a broader national issue affecting local government. The council’s chief finance officer recently released a Section 114 Report due to the inability to deliver a balanced budget for the current year. Factors such as increased demand for social care services and rising numbers of homelessness presentations have contributed to a £23 million overspend this year.

In addition to these immediate pressures, the council has been dealing with significant reductions in government funding over the past few years. The Revenue Support Grant from the Government has been reduced by £97 million annually since 2013/14, and the council’s ‘Core Spending Power’ has decreased by 28.2% in real terms, compared to 19.4% for all councils in England, as reported by SIGOMA, the Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities.

While the financial challenges encountered by the council are intricate and multifaceted, it is imperative for community members to be informed and involved in the decision-making process. The upcoming engagement event and subsequent consultation present an opportunity for the public to play a pivotal role in shaping the council’s financial plans for the upcoming year. It is crucial for the community to come together and provide constructive feedback to ensure that the budget for 2024/25 reflects the needs and priorities of Nottingham’s residents.