Conservative-controlled Guildford Borough Council has frozen the council tax you pay for their services in 2011-12. Whilst the borough collects all your council tax, it keeps less than 10%. Guildford Borough Council’s careful financial management and planning has helped Guildford cope with the challenging economic climate, reduced investment income and government funding.
The Coalition Government grant settlement to Guildford Borough Council is very tough. As part of the need to pay off Labour's budget deficit, Guildford lost 15.7%, a cash reduction of £ 1.17M, compared with the average loss of 9.9% across the country. In 2012/13, we expect to lose a further £730K as part of the deficit reduction programme. The losses in grant over the next two years will equate to 23% of the element of our council tax income that we keep.
Despite the difficult financial situation, councillors and officers have already made savings by changing the way we provide services with the minimum impact on our residents, identifying further efficiencies, working in partnership with other councils and public bodies. This has been recognised in the Audit Commission’s latest report on the Council’s value for money achievement, which says: “The Council responded promptly to the economic downturn, identifying and realising efficiency savings and maintaining financial balance.”
We are also looking at new ways of generating income, using our assets even more effectively and implementing pay freezes for all but the lowest paid. We continue to invest in many varied improvements- opening G Live for top class entertainment (on time and on budget), maintaining the setts and heritage of our High Street, improving our high quality council housing, protecting our environment across the borough. These measures will help maintain the high level of services with no increase in council tax.
Since the Conservatives took control of the Council in 2003 we have adopted a consistent approach of keeping council tax increases at or below inflation. This policy has taken Guildford Borough Council to near the bottom of the Surrey council tax league.