Dorset Council’s budget of £348m for 2023-24 has been approved by councillors at the Full Council meeting on 14 February. This continues the council’s commitment to maintain frontline services, without the need for cuts to balance the budget. Dorset Council provides around 450 different services to just under 380,000 residents.
This year’s budget setting exercise took place against a national background of extreme pressures for councils. These pressures include the high level of inflation which affects the cost of delivering council services, and also the continued growth in need for social care services as a result of the ageing population.
Council tax will increase next year by just under 2% and the adult social care precept by 2%. This is less than the maximum 5% increase available to councils, as outlined in the Government’s Spending Review in December 2022. The increase is equivalent to £1.40 extra per week for a Band D property.
Cllr Gary Suttle, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Finance, Commercial and Capital Strategy, said:
“We have developed this balanced budget in a national context of significant financial challenge. Our overriding aim has been to protect the essential frontline council services on which local residents and businesses rely.
“The proposals do include a council tax increase; however, we have kept to it to the minimum possible despite the current high level of inflation. And we continue to provide a range of support for those residents hardest hit by the cost of living.
“Since becoming a unitary council in 2019, we have made efficiency savings of £76 million. This money has been reinvested to protect frontline services, including funding the growing need for adult social care with our ageing population. Our prudent budget management has meant that Dorset has not faced the same cuts to essential services as many other areas.
“However, we continue to lobby Government for fairer funding for Dorset so that we can reduce the burden on local taxpayers in future.”
Congratulations! I am impressed at your management, especially the creative ways in which you deliver the wide range of services you offer, while avoiding excessive increases in Council Tax!
I think Dorset Council should have increased Council Tax by the 5% allowed under government guidance. And it should all go to social care.(Or if you want to be picky the 2% to general budget and the extra 3% to social care). Why should the government give more money if Dorset Council are not prepared to use the powers given to them.
Good point. If Government did put more money into Dorset we’d be paying for it in our taxes anyway, so why not get the money through the 5% increase allowed?
We all known that social care is in desperate need of reform nationally and this imposes a heavy demand on funding, particularly in Dorset with a high retired population. It seems to me that the council have worked hard to keep the increase to a minimum while maintaining all essential services and they are to be congratulated on achieving this.