A budget for recovery has been agreed by Norfolk County Council to support communities, the economy, and the environment.
A ÂŁ439 million net revenue budget, a ÂŁ102 million boost for roads and infrastructure, and a 3.99 percent Council Tax rise have been agreed, at today’s full council meeting.
County council leader Councillor Andrew Proctor said: “This budget not only protects the vital services that we deliver and people value but also sets us on the path to recovery.
“This budget sets out to deliver a better future for Norfolk, to see our residents our communities, and businesses all begin to flourish again.”
Cabinet member for finance, Councillor Andrew Jamieson, highlighted the Covid and other cost pressures facing the council and said: “We are protecting vital services, investing to tackle flooding, and making as much provision as possible for potential shocks from Covid – all without needing to propose the full five percent Council Tax increase.
“Looking to the future as we emerge from the pandemic, cabinet will continue to advocate strongly for Norfolk and press Government for our fair share of funding and to bring forward long-needed reforms.”
Today’s decision means the council will:
- Raise general Council Tax by the Government’s guideline figure – 1.99 percent – and raise the adult social care precept by two percent in 2021/22 and one percent the following year. This would raise the county council’s element of Council Tax by 3.99 percent, increasing the share of band D bills by £56.43 to £1,472.94 for 2021-22.
- Invest £45.7m to meet cost and other pressures in services, including £28.2m in adult social care, £7m in children’s services, and £10.5m in community and environmental services
- Set aside ÂŁ18.8m for Covid 19 costs in 2021-22
- Make savings of ÂŁ41.2m, including a net ÂŁ20.4m of new proposals
- Invest £102m in the capital programme, taking the total infrastructure programme to £537.66m. New items include £11.5m for supported housing for young adults, £4m for children’s residential homes, and investment in the Long Stratton bypass and new libraries.
- Invest ÂŁ2m in new funding to respond to flooding, including an additional ÂŁ350,000 in revenue budget provision, ÂŁ235,000 in highways spending to reduce road flooding risks and ÂŁ1.5m for the creation of a new flood reserve to fund urgent works, repairs and to enable recommendations from flood investigation reports.
- Increase by £4,000 each councillor’s Local Member Fund, taking the total to £10,000 to be made available to local parishes and communities to fund environmental projects
- Provide ÂŁ3m for improvements to greenways, footpaths, and the national and Norfolk Trails network in the county