Budget Consultation

The council will set its budget and the level of council tax for 2010/11 at the meeting on 25 February 2010. During December and January the Council will consult with business rate-payers, inviting their suggestions on spending priorities for 2010/11.

Financial context

The 2010-11 budget is being set in the context of a challenging financial environment, such as:

• A likely real-terms cuts in Government funding over the medium-term, particularly after the 2010 General Election
• An increase in demand for services that we provide, particularly during the current economic recession, and the period of low economic growth, potentially higher inflation and challenging conditions (including rising unemployment) that will follow the recession
• A need to make significant ongoing revenue efficiencies

Current spending

In 2009-10 the Council’s net revenue budget of £239m is being spent as follows:

Service area	Net budget 2009-10 (millions)
Housing and Adult Social Services	74.6
Children's Services	67.9
Environment and Regeneration	51.7
Central Services, corporate costs and provisions*	26.1
Other services**, contingencies and contributions to or from reserves	18.7
Total	239

Notes:
* Provisions are money set aside to meet expected liabilities, eg. insurance costs and bad debts.
** Other services are payments to London-wide bodies such as the Environment Agency, London Pension Fund Authority and the North London Waste Authority

Residents’ spending priorities

Over the past year the council has collected a good deal of information about residents’ priorities for improving the borough, and this information will be taken into consideration when deciding on spending priorities.

In previous years when we have asked residents about spending priorities the top three priorities have consistently been:

• tackling crime and anti-social behaviour
• improving educational standards
• cleaner streets

Other services such as road and pavement repairs, recycling, social care provision and activities for young people have been high on the list of priorities.

The Place Survey, which was first conducted in late 2008, identified levels of crime, things for teenagers to do and clean streets as the three things that Islington residents thought most need improving in their local area. Find more information about the Place Survey here.

As we have a rich source of information we will not be undertaking a separate consultation with residents on the budget and spending priorities for next year.

Local businesses

Local businesses contribute to the cost of local services through the business rates they pay. Businesses are invited to suggest the spending priorities they think the council should consider when setting the budget for next year.

Next steps

The Council will set the budget and the level of council tax at the Council meeting on 25 February 2010. This is a public meeting. Find full details of this and other council meetings here.