We would like to thank the 78 residents who took part in the consultation. The findings were reported to Policy and Resources Committee on 8 February 2021 and will the 2021/22 budget was approved by Full Council on 2 March 2021. You can also read the Consultation Report.
We are living in unprecedented times. Since March, we have faced the biggest public health emergency in living memory. Families, businesses and community groups have worked together to support each other and the council has played a vital role in protecting lives and livelihoods.
We need to do all weContinue reading
We would like to thank the 78 residents who took part in the consultation. The findings were reported to Policy and Resources Committee on 8 February 2021 and will the 2021/22 budget was approved by Full Council on 2 March 2021. You can also read the Consultation Report.
We are living in unprecedented times. Since March, we have faced the biggest public health emergency in living memory. Families, businesses and community groups have worked together to support each other and the council has played a vital role in protecting lives and livelihoods.
We need to do all we can to avoid further waves of this terrible virus. At the same time, we know the best way to manage a crisis is not just to deal with it but look beyond it. For this reason, we are working on plans to recover from the pandemic.
Against this backdrop we must also ensure that our budget for the future is balanced. All local authorities are legally required to set a balanced budget every year and ensure they have enough money to deliver services to their residents and businesses.
How we are responding to the financial challenge
We have always taken a long-term and proactive approach to financial planning in difficult circumstances. We have saved over £193million between 2010 and 2020 and protected frontline services as far as possible. However, with the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic this year, reduced funding and increases in the demand and cost of services, the next few years still present further challenges. Looking forward we face an anticipated budget gap of £55million to 2024/25, this includes a £14million budget gap for the next financial year 2021/222.
Despite these challenges we remain ambitious for Barnet and the people who live and work here. We must now prioritise our limited resources effectively and develop plans to deliver the best outcomes for residents within these unprecedented times and financial constraints.
For more information on how we plan to meet these challenges please take the time to read our consultation document. You can also read the Policy and Resources Committee Business Planning Report which sets out in full the council’s proposed budget for 2021/22 here.
What are we seeking your views on
We are keen to give everyone – Barnet residents, residents who live outside the borough and who use our services, businesses, and local community groups – the opportunity to have their say on our proposals. In particular, we are seeking your views on:
- the overall budget, and our savings and income generation proposals for 2021/22
- our proposal to increase General Council Tax by 1.99%
- our proposal to apply an Adult Social Care Precept on Council Tax of 3% to help pay for adult social care.
How to give us your views
Please take the time to read our consultation document before completing our questionnaire.
If you require a paper copy of the consultation document and questionnaire, or another format, please email: budgetconsultation@barnet.gov.uk or telephone the Consultation Team on 020 8359 7016.
The findings from the consultation will be reported to Policy and Resources Committee on 8 February 2021 and will then be considered by Full council on 2 March 2021 before final approval of the 2021/22 budget.
