Proposals for next year's budget

It’s already February, and even though it’s dark, cold and wet it’s so good to see glimmers of spring with snow drops appearing and daffodils not far behind. 

January and February are always really busy months, as we work through the proposals for the next year’s budget. Over the past few years this has become an increasingly tough task as the reality of the growing demand and cost of some services; particularly those services for older people and children, combined with the reducing central Government grant means we need to find another £25 million of savings – which is never easy.

Having to choose between increasing taxes and reducing, or maybe having to stop some services, or grant support, is so difficult and is never an easy choice. 

Thank goodness this council has the benefit of staff who rally to find the best possible solutions to deliver the savings we need to find and protect the services that are needed for those who are most vulnerable in our communities. 

Whilst we are proposing to take up the Government’s offer to increase Council Tax by a further 1% to 2.99%, plus we have the Government’s Adult Social Care Levy (a further 3%), this increase only goes part of the way to meeting the demand costs and finding the savings that we need. The solution to meet what’s needed, is our ability to deliver change – change that makes a positive difference – the type of change that Wiltshire Council is acclaimed for. 

We will be focused on becoming even more business-like, but we are not a business! We will however look at every opportunity to be more commercial and to generate more income and we will shift more towards digital channels enabling our customers to self-serve. It’s about continual change and transforming our services. Our adult and children’s services are changing, in recognition of the changing demographics and trends, and we know that to meet demand we need to offer services as early as possible and reduce the need for more high cost services. A recent example is the acute hospitals in Wiltshire. A major issue for us and them over recent weeks - which has been well publicised - has been the delayed discharges and, the pressures on accident and emergency. Interestingly, the admissions of people from Wiltshire with respiratory problems - one of the major pressures on the health service at this time of year - has been much lower than many other counties. This has been attributed to the high take up of the flu vaccine in Wiltshire, which is one of the highest in the country. This is an example where our public health team have done a great job working with GPs, schools, communities and businesses to encourage people to get vaccinated. 

It demonstrates the major impact that we can have, not just on our own health and wellbeing, but also on the overstretched health service, and that by encouraging and taking preventative action we can avoid high costs and service pressures.

I recently saw a quote that said; “The power of a community to create good health is far greater than any physician, clinic or hospital”. It made me stop and think that as a community we can make such a positive impact. 

A budget is allocating money to provide services. But the driver for our budget is our vision; strong communities. To achieve this we need to continually change, transform and be different and by working together as a focused and cohesive community we can, and are, doing just this.

That’s where we excel, and I know despite the tough choices that need to be made we will continue to make life better for people in Wiltshire.

Jane