Like all organisations the pandemic has impacted our finances and the demand for our services.
COVID-19 is having an impact on local authority finances up and down the county but years of prudent financial management at Braintree District Council means that its budget will be balanced this year.
This is the start of the budget setting process. The initial proposals for next year’s Council budget will be considered by Braintree District Council’s Cabinet on Monday, November 23 and at Full Council on Monday, December 7. The final budget and council tax proposals will be presented to Full Council in February 2021.
Since March 2020, Braintree District Council has been supporting the community and businesses throughout the Coronavirus pandemic. It has done this by administering business grants and support, helping businesses become Covid-19 secure, setting up a virtual community hub to help support the district’s most vulnerable people, getting 16 rough sleepers off the streets – all while continuing to run all of its regular services.
Braintree District Council’s virtual community hub received more than 350 referrals from the Essex Welfare Service (now called Essex Wellbeing Service) for people requesting support for shopping, collection of medication, befriending and more. In addition, the hub helped a further 1,100 individuals identified as high risk. (Figures for March 2020 to mid-September 2020).
The introduction of a second lockdown in November 2020 will likely have further impacts on the Council’s budget which will need to be assessed as the Council goes through the budget setting process.
Like many Councils, Braintree District Council has experienced losses in income (for example car parking charges, planning fees, building control fees, leisure management fee and interest/dividends on investments) since the pandemic struck earlier this year. The pandemic has affected residents’ jobs, businesses and wellbeing – increasing demands on council services.
The Council has received extra funding from central government in order to cover some of the unexpected costs and income reductions associated with the global pandemic. Current predictions are that there is however an estimated £0.359m shortfall.
The Council’s ambition is that its existing investment projects will provide a boost for the district in terms of jobs and opportunities over the coming years as the country recovers from the pandemic. New jobs are being created close to our Business and Innovation Park Horizon 120 thanks to Gridserve which is nearing completion. Not only will it bring jobs as part of the electric forecourt but jobs at its partner retail outlets too.
Construction of Horizon 120 Business and Innovation Park will start in Easter and the first of the buildings will start to be occupied by early 2022 – meaning more opportunities for the district’s residents and businesses. When up and running, the I-Construct project in Springwood Drive, Braintree has the potential to create up to 130 new jobs.
Braintree District Council will continue to look for opportunities to generate income and make efficiencies and savings.
The Council is compelled by law to set a balanced budget every year. To enable a balanced budget for 2021/2022 it is proposed to increase council tax by two per cent. This would mean, for a band D property, an increase of 7p a week. Braintree District Council’s council tax remains the fourth lowest of the twelve district councils in Essex.
For those who are struggling, there is help in the shape of the council’s Council Tax Support Scheme which has supported more than 9,000 households this year.
Car parking charges will remain frozen in 2021/22.
Braintree District Council is proposing allocating £500,000 for future climate change initiatives to ensure the district can address the issues of climate change and environmental sustainability. A working group from across the district, representing businesses, residents and community organisations have been working on a Climate Change Strategy for the District which will be presented to Full Council in early 2021. This funding will provide an initial investment to support some of the key actions identified through the strategy.
More money is proposed to be allocated to the Braintree District Councillors’ Community Grant scheme which will enable more organisations and groups to apply for funding to support local projects and initiatives that will benefit the people of the Braintree District.
Cllr Graham Butland, Leader of Braintree District Council, said: “This has been a particularly challenging year but we have worked hard to help support those most in need. This pandemic will have long lasting impacts on our communities and we are committed to helping the most vulnerable residents while also helping as many businesses get through the pandemic.”
Councillor David Bebb, Cabinet Member for Finance & Performance Management, at Braintree District Council said: “Like all organisations the pandemic has impacted our finances and the demand for our services. Although we have received some money from central government, it does not cover the cost of the increased demand for council services or the cost of the extra things the Council is doing today that we weren’t last year. Thankfully after years of prudent financial management we are in a better position than most. It is important to us to help our communities through this difficult period. Covid-19 will have social impacts on all our communities for many years to come. We are glad that investments in our community and the work we have done to bring jobs and businesses into our district will provide our residents with more opportunities at a time they will need it the most.”