Have your say on Havering’s budget proposals for next year

The Local Government Financial Settlement for 2017/18  was announced on 15 December 2016 and confirms the funding reductions that the Council was expecting following the 2016/17 settlement in December 2015.

Havering’s Revenue Support Grant, the main part of the settlement of funding to be received from Central Government, will reduce from £20.9m in 2016/17 to £12.3m in 2017/18. And, by 2019/20, it will have fallen to £1.4m, a loss of £19.5m over the period 2016/17 to 2019/20. 

The Council has already made a considerable dent in the savings required while protecting the services that matter the most to residents and continuing to deliver their most keenly-felt priorities.

Councillor Roger Ramsey, Leader of the Council, said:

“The continued austerity measures places Havering, and many local authorities, with the significant challenge of providing statutory services whilst balancing its annual revenue budget.

“The Council faces particular pressures in relation to the growing demand for supporting vulnerable children and adults through social care services.  The Council saved £17.1m in 2016/17, while minimising the impact as far as possible on its residents.

“The 2017/18 budget proposals seek to maintain the investment in these services whilst increasing income from more commercial activity and recovering the full cost of service provision from fees and charges, while protecting services to residents.

“However, a budget gap of £3.8m currently remains in 2017/18 and £13.8m over the three years to 2019/20. The Council is required by law to balance its budget and therefore must take further action to address this shortfall. Consideration is being given to further options for reductions in spending alongside options for increasing council tax.

“I urge residents to take part in this process by taking part in our short survey.”

Residents have until Midnight on Sunday 29 January to give their view and the survey can be found at: www.havering.gov.uk