Council announces budget priorities for Southwark

27 February 2020

Local Government has suffered austerity for many years and the impact has been far-reaching, with huge cuts to funding. However, while this impact has been significant, Southwark Council has been resilient, protecting front-line services and pushing forward with its ambitions for the borough’s future - with new homes, new jobs, new libraries and schools and new, borough-wide opportunities.

The council tax that residents pay is just one of the ways that services are funded. Over the past decade, by encouraging growth, building homes and attracting businesses, Southwark Council has managed to increase the amount of council tax and business rates generated. So while funding to the council from government has halved, putting huge pressure on our budgets, vital public services have continued, alongside investing in the things people want and need. This includes protecting social care for the most vulnerable and older residents, offering improved mental health support for young people, expanding free swim and gym in leisure centres, helping residents into work and investing in our parks and playgrounds.

Councillor Victoria Mills, cabinet member for finance, performance and Brexit, said: “However, even with this extra investment, there is not enough money in the pot to cope with the growing demands and pressures on our services, particularly education, homelessness and ensuring our children are kept safe and not exploited into violent crime.”

Alongside this, one of the biggest challenges councils face is tackling the climate emergency. The council has been working to reduce its emissions for some time, cutting them by 37 per cent cent since 2010, but is taking further action to ensure the whole borough is working to become carbon neutral by 2030. This will require significant investment, which is why, in this year’s budget, £2m has been allocated to help start this work.

Councillor Mills continues: “In response to these huge demands, and our ambitions for residents’ futures, we have for the most part balanced our books where we can, in order to provide continuity of vital services – bringing essential services, such as support for those bearing the brunt of welfare reform, in house, shaving less impactful expense from services in order to prioritise vulnerable residents and young people, and focusing on where we can continue to generate income elsewhere.

“We have also taken the difficult decision to raise council tax in line with most other councils. While we know any increase won’t be welcome, the impact for most residents will be just 73p per week, and we offer council tax relief for those who are least able to pay.

“Half of this money will be ring-fenced for social care with the rest ensuring that we protect the services residents rely on. In all areas of our budget, we have sought to make informed, innovate and forward-thinking fiscal decisions which look at the changing priorities of the borough today and in the future. ”

Page last updated: 27 February 2020