Archived press release

Date Published: 08/02/08

Aylesbury Vale District Council’s budget for 2008/9 was approved at a council meeting last night (6 February). The agreed budget will result in a four per cent increase on council tax for the next financial year – a rise of just nine ...

Aylesbury Vale District Council’s budget for 2008/9 was approved at a council meeting last night (6 February).

The agreed budget will result in a four per cent increase on council tax for the next financial year – a rise of just nine pence a week on a Band D property. This will mean a charge at Band D of £126.04.

AVDC has also adopted budget plans for future years which limit council tax increases to a maximum of four per cent a year.

The council has been able to plan ahead with greater certainty than before because the Revenue Support Grant settlement, which details support provided by the government, now gives figures for the next three years. The last grant announcement in 2005 covered a two year period, and before that it was an annual announcement.

AVDC is constantly seeking more efficient ways to provide services. Through savings in purchasing supplies and services, driving out inefficiencies and ensuring money is collected efficiently, it has been able to keep its council tax increase at a low level.

The district council's net spending for the 2008/9 financial year will be £20 million, of which £11.6 million will be provided by the government and £8.4 million will be raised through council tax.

In addition, the council has also approved a capital programme of more than £100 million over the next four years. Some of the major spending initiatives in the programme include the Waterside retail and residential development, the new theatre in Aylesbury and new affordable housing provision.

Councillor Margaret Morgan-Owen, Cabinet Member for Resources, said: “The good news is that we have produced a balanced budget which avoids cuts in services and keeps council tax rises to a minimum. We will be working hard to deliver efficiencies and savings to ensure that we can maintain standards and where possible improve the quality of services. However, we will have little option than to raise our council tax by four per cent a year to compensate for the inadequate government grant contribution. The reality of the situation is that we get a grant increase that meets less than 10 per cent of our extra costs.”

AVDC collects the council tax charged by Buckinghamshire County Council, Thames Valley Police, Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, town and parish councils as well as the district itself. Most of the tax collected, about 70 per cent, is passed on to the county council and is spent on things like social services, schools and highways.

The AVDC element of residents’ total council tax bill accounts for a further 10 per cent with the remainder being collected on behalf of the police and fire services to cover the precepts of town and parish councils.

For the district charge of £126.04 a year, a Band D council tax payer will receive these services and more from the district council: recycling and rubbish collection, street and litter cleaning, Shopmobility, concessionary bus passes, leisure facilities, car parks, environmental health and planning services.

AVDC charges one of the lower rates of council tax set by a district council in the whole country. Last year it was in the bottom third, charging £19 lower than the average district council.

The setting of the overall council tax, including the elements relating to the other precepting bodies, will be completed on 5 March.