Aylesbury Vale taxpayers could be facing a hike of 1.99 per cent in the tax collected by the district council (AVDC).
AVDC says the proposed rise will mean an extra 5p a week for the average resident, raising £166,000 extra to be ring fenced to support businesses. The draft budget outlined a number of cost savings and new incomes which will be introduced to help make up a shortfall of £2.4million. These include additional income from NHS and GP Clinical Commissioning Group in 66 High Street and the Gateway, and reduced energy and cleaning costs, saving £274,200; restructuring the Development Management Service, saving £250,000; restructuring the senior management team, saving £200,000; and closing area offices, saving £70,000.
Council leader Neil Blake said: “In 2010, we had £310 to spend on services for each household. Last year that figure was cut to £240 and by April 2015 this figure will have shrunk to £219. What this means in reality is that we cannot function as we have been so our priority is to work hard to protect key services. We’re already making changes and there will be more to come, given our reducing budget.”
Full council will set the budget on February 5.