In a resolute move aimed at delivering continued value for money services to its residents, Hillingdon Council gave its stamp of approval to the annual budget yesterday (February 22). The decision not only ensures the sustenance of service investment throughout 2024/25 but also maintains council tax rates at some of the lowest levels in outer London.
Despite persistent financial pressures within local government, Hillingdon Council stands firm on a solid financial foundation, with the council persistently delivering a balanced budget alongside services that have earned accolades.
The backbone of the financial strategy lies in its substantial capital program, poised to inject further resources into critical areas such as free weekly waste and recycling collections, the enhancement of parks and leisure facilities, the refurbishment of roads and pavements, as well as the expansion and improvement of housing and educational infrastructure.
Rather than cutting services, the council believes in changing them by looking at what money is being spent on and seeing if it can find another way of delivering them with the same or improved outcomes for less.
Residents of the borough can anticipate yet another year of modest council tax rates, positioned among the lowest in outer London. Core council tax will increase by 2.99 per cent and a levy of 2 per cent to fund residents’ adult social care will also be charged. In practice, this equates to a total of 4.99 per cent – £1.27 a week for a Band D property. Fees and charges will be increased in line with inflation.
In a display of fiscal prudence, councillors opted to defy a recommendation from the independent remuneration panel, which proposed a staggering 27 percent increment in councillor allowances. Instead, these allowances will be aligned with the increase in officer salaries, underscoring a commitment to responsible governance.
Cllr Martin Goddard, Hillingdon Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance said: “While Hillingdon continues to face the same acute budgetary pressures as other local authorities, what sets this council apart from others, who have declared, or are on the verge of bankruptcy, is our record of sound financial management. “Our effective savings delivery programme continues to deliver value for money and ensure that residents don’t pay as much as other boroughs, and that the council continues to maintain and invest in its excellent services.”
