Budget 2006-7

Last night the Council set the Council Tax for 2006-07. Key features of next year’s budget are:

• Basic increase of 2.499% in Council Tax
• Cash limits for services as per the attached
• Efficiency savings and income generation (not service reductions) totaling £7.2 millions
• Improvements to services totaling £11.4m

Among a long list of new initiatives and improved service levels are:

• £2.6m for schools
• £250,000 for Children’s Services
• £250,000 to deliver the Island Plan
• All-Island residents parking permit
• Free bus and rail travel for over 60’s at all times of the day
• 50p each way flat rate bus and rail fares for young people in full time education
• £263,000 for Fire & Rescue modernisation
• £4.3m for adult services
• Matched funding for 40 Community Safety Offices
• £545,000 for homelessness
• £140,000 for library books

In addition, significant one-off resources are being invested in initiatives like Highways PFI, Health partnering, business continuity and decriminalised parking.

More information including next years Council Tax rates and specifics will be posted here when available.