Budget 2019/20

The council's budget for 2019/20 was approved on 21 February 2019.

Budget summary

Uttlesford District Council's budget proposals for 2019/20 was approved at Full Council on 21 February 2019.

The Uttlesford District Council part of  the Council Tax will be increased by 2.99%, giving a total council tax yield of £5,657,106.

The 2.99% increase will cost a Band D property an extra £4.40 per year, taking the total Uttlesford precept in 2018/19 from £147.21 to £151.61 in 2019/20.

You can find out on this page how the budget was approved, where the council's income comes from, what we will be doing in response to the public consultation and how the council will be spending your money in the coming year.   
 

How the budget was approved

The budget proposals were considered at the following meetings  where the proposals were formally approved. Reports and background papers which were submitted to each of these meetings can be inspected using the links below.

Funding the budget

The budget lays out how much we plan to spend on each of our main services. We collect some of this money through Council Tax, but we have other sources of income from sources such as Localised Business Rates Retention (BRR),  New Homes Bonus (NHB), Rural Services Delivery Grant (RSDG), fees charged for services and from investments.This chart show the main sources of the council's income.

Budget 2018/19 breakdown of the council's funding

Council Tax

We (Uttlesford District Council) collect your Council Tax and put it into a separate fund called the collection fund. We share this fund with Essex County Council, Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and the parish and town councils.

How Uttlesford District Council calculates Council Tax

Uttlesford District Council collects your council tax and puts it into a separate fund called the collection fund. This fund is then shared with Essex County Council, Police Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex and the parish and town councils. These components of your council tax are called "precepts". The picture below shows, on average, where each pound of your council tax goes.

Council tax 2019/20 who gets what

The Localism Act 2011 has made significant changes to the Local Government Finance Act 1992, and now requires the Council to calculate a council tax requirement for the year, not its budget requirement as previously.

Fees

The council generates some income from the fees it charges for services.

Business Rates (NNDR)

Business rates are charged on most non-domestic properties, like shops, offices, pubs, warehouses, factories, holiday rental homes or guest houses.

How Uttlesford District Council spends the budget

This shows how much we (Uttlesford District Council) plan to spend on each of our main services.
 

 

£'000

2018/19

OriginalBudget

2018/19

CurrentBudget

2019/20

OriginalBudget

 

 

Increase / (Decrease)

Portfolio Budgets

 

 

 

 

Net service expenditure

12,982

12,965

12,948

(17)

Corporate Items

 

 

 

 

Capital Financing

3,572

6,892

1,892

(5,000)

Recharge to HRA

(2,073)

(2,057)

(2,059)

(2)

Other Corporate Items

(1,559)

(1,559)

(1,539)

20

Net Expenditure

12,921

16,242

11,243

(4,999)

Funding

 

 

 

 

New Homes Bonus Grant

(2,864)

(2,864)

(2,969)

(105)

Business Rates Retention

(2,042)

(2,042)

(4,294)

(2,251)

Rural Services Grant

(225)

(225)

(279)

(54)

Council Tax - Collection Fund Balance

(14)

(14)

(67)

(53)

 

(5,145)

(5,145)

(7,609)

(2,464)

Net Operating Expenditure

7,776

11,097

3,634

(7,462)

Net transfers to/(from) other earmarked reserves

(2,446)

(5,767)

2,022

7,789

 

(2,446)

(5,767)

2,022

7,789

Council Tax Requirement

5,330

5,330

5,657

326

Council Tax (precept levied on Collection Fund)

(5,330)

(5,330)

(5,657)

(326)

 

0

0

0

0


Breakdown of the council's net service expenditure

Budget 2018/19 breakdown of the council's net service expenditure
 

Further details are set out in the General Fund and Council Tax 2019/20 report to Cabinet. In this, the budget summary in Annexe H2  provides details on each of the council's services.

General Fund and Council Tax 2019/20 report [401kb]

Budget 2019/20 what we will be doing in response to the public consultation

During the summer 2018, a consultation on the council's budget priorities was carried out. Residents, businesses and key preceptors (such as Essex County Council and town and parish councils) were asked for their views on the services that the council should be spending money on. The table below shows where the council will be spending extra money in 2019/20.

Here is what we will be doing: Service restructured and appointment of Assistant Director to lead a programme of effective and efficient service delivery improvements

Here is what we will be doing: Funding of 2 PCSO's and match funding of PCSO's in 2 parishes. Police located in the Lodge House and in the main reception area

Here is what we will be doing: In 2018/19 additional resources of 4 new team members were added to the service and this resource has been maintained in the 2019/20 budget

Here is what we will be doing: Funding allocated to support the delivery of Garden Communities

Here is what we will be doing: Substantive posts are now filled with a reduction in the requirement for agency resources. Investment in an apprenticeship to support service resilience within building control

Here is what we will be doing: A full programme of development is included in the Housing Revenue business plan and this can be seen in the earlier agenda item for the Housing Revenue Account budget setting report

Here is what we will be doing: Continued provision of a Health and Wellbeing team working in partnership with other organisations within the district


 

*As identified by those residents and businesses who responded to the budget consultation 
 

The full results of the budget consultation were considered by the council's Scrutiny Committee and Cabinet in November 2018. 

Budget consultation results