Questions raised over council grant assumptions

The council faced questions from opposition colleagues as its draft budget for 2022/23 went under the spotlight last week, writes Kieran Bell.

Councillors met in Windsor on Thursday, November 25 at a cabinet meeting, with much of the debate centred around the borough's assumption that it will receive £3million in Government grants.

RBWM's executive director of resources, Adele Taylor, explained the council is expecting to hear more details around these grants in midDecember.

Opposition councillor John Baldwin (Lib Dem, Belmont) asked what the council's alternative is should the estimated figure not be accurate.

Ms Taylor responded by saying that the Government was currently ‘unclear’ about how the funding would be allocated, but the figure was based ‘on the best judgement we have got’.

Council leader Cllr Andrew Johnson (Con, Hurley and Walthams) added: “If we get a lower than envisaged settlement, of course there will have to be a review of what other savings may be required. If we get slightly more, then there may be an opportunity to invest slightly more.”

Leader of the Liberal Democrat group Cllr Simon Werner (Pinkneys Green) said the ‘assumptions’ the borough will receive £3million should instead be described as ‘risks’.

“I do notice a number of expressions used for what, in financial terms, are cuts,” he said.

Cllr Werner also raised the issue of arts funding, with venues such as Norden Farm hit hard by reduced grants last year.

The council’s cabinet member for resident services, Cllr Samantha Rayner (Con, Eton and Castle) said the borough was looking at setting up a ‘good causes lottery’ to fund such organisations.

Cllr Johnson added: “It is fair to say that we are now back on financial track, and this budget not only seeks to build upon that work but also starts to lay down the longer term vision of this administration.”

The council leader also said that raising council tax ‘is never an easy task’, but after considering all the options the council believed it was the right thing to do.

A consultation on the draft budget ahead of its final approval in February will run from early December until the end of January.

Thursday’s meeting also saw councillors discuss the borough’s draft capital strategy for 2022/23- 2024/25, with an investment of more than £55million.

£10million is planned for flooding prevention within Datchet, Horton, Wraysbury and Old Windsor.