Community grants and secure finances in South Oxfordshire’s draft 2024-25 budget
Careful financial management means that community projects across South Oxfordshire will continue to benefit from significant funding during 2024-25.
This month, district councillors will be asked to approve a budget for 2024-2025 which ensures that residents will continue to receive quality, cost-effective local services, while maintaining investment in key areas.
The budget promises £500,000 in grant funding which will be made available for local communities to support projects, such as to improve local facilities, increase action on climate change and to help improve people’s quality of life.
Despite the major challenges all councils continue to face, including government funding increases not keeping pace with inflation, council tax limited to a below inflation increase, the continued rise in the cost of living and ongoing economic and political uncertainty, the proposed budget that councillors will consider does not include any reductions to district council services.
With a proposed average council tax of £146.24 for the year for a Band D property, an increase of just £5 on last year, South Oxfordshire also continues to charge one of the lowest district council tax rates in the country. At less than £2.82 per week, this continues to represent good value for money for residents, costing households around the same as the average price of a single cup of coffee.
This element of the council tax paid by householders helps to pay for services provided by South Oxfordshire District Council, such as: household waste and recycling collections, community support, leisure services, parks and public toilets, housing services, planning services, environmental health and licensing.
Alongside council tax, the proposed budget is further supported by just under £6.8million in government funding.
Cllr Pieter-Paul Barker, Cabinet Member for Finance and Property Assets at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “Over the last year we’ve made significant investments in our leisure centres and community buildings across South Oxfordshire to reduce their energy use and make them more cost-effective to run.
“We’ve provided considerable support to help people lead more active lives and our Community Hub has continued to help residents who are struggling financially. We’ve put plans in place to deliver more affordable housing and we’ve secured and provided funding for projects to improve local infrastructure, to boost our rural economy and support local businesses.”
“We’ve also helped to fund numerous community projects across the district, including those that take action to tackle climate change, and I’m pleased to confirm that this year’s budget proposal includes the commitment to continue doing this at the same level in 2024-25.
“We’re in a much more positive position than many other authorities and continue do well to maintain our finances. With the current economic and political uncertainty, and the ongoing impact of reductions in funding from the government, it’s important that we remain extra vigilant and stay focussed on achieving long-term stability.”
The proposed budget is subject to approval by the Council, with a meeting scheduled for 22 February 2024, where spending proposals, revenue, and capital plans, as well as the council tax, will be discussed and agreed upon.
To view the proposed 2024-2025 South Oxfordshire District Council budget, visit the council’s 15 February Cabinet agenda information page.
END
Notes for editors –
Recent analysis carried out by the Guardian of local government finances shows that, between 2010/11 and 2022/23, net spending per person by councils on cultural services was cut by 43 per cent in real terms and that core spending power available to councils after the recently announced extra £600m uplift will still be 10 per cent lower than in 2010/11.
