EDUCATION IS THE BIGGEST EXPENSE

CHARGED with providing vital public services and with a multi-million budget to do so, a question often asked is what happens to taxpayers’ cash paid into the Leicestershire County Council kitty.

Those who noticed that council tax had increased by around £5 a month for the average county home when demand notices dropped through letterboxes last month might have wondered what the extra fiver a month goes towards.

The BBC Local Democracy Reporting Service and the Local Government Information Unit has worked to break down £100 of council cash – raised through council tax, government grants, business rates, borrowing, and other grants – and show how much is spent on what.

Education comes out as the authority’s biggest expense, followed by adult social care and children’s social care.

Planning and development: £0.25* Housing services: £0.08* *District and borough councils have overall responsibility for planning and housing in Leicestershire Leicestershire County Council’s four-year budget plan was agreed by the county council on February 17, 2021.

The council’s budget also included £56 million of cuts made up of, it said: “£30 million of detailed savings – reducing children and family costs by re-shaping how services are delivered, reducing adult social care costs by simplifying processes and speeding up support, bringing together early help and prevention services - and delivering some inhouse and reducing disposal costs by recycling and re-using more waste and a ‘high needs development plan’ which will reduce special educational needs and disabilities (Send) costs by £26 million.”

A £450 million four-year capital pot was also approved as part of the budget.

Included was £70 million to improve and maintain existing roads and bridges, £120 million for improving transport infrastructure, £72 million for extra school places, including specialist provision for Send students.