Cabinet agrees spending priorities for 2023 to 2024

Supporting residents through the cost-of-living crisis, providing social care for children and adults and creating decent housing are key priorities Cabinet agrees the council should spend its money on over the next year.

The budget, approved by Cabinet yesterday (6 February) and subject to ratification from Full Council on 23 February, has been shaped with feedback from residents and reflects the challenging financial position the council finds itself in.

For over a decade, the money Brent receives directly from central Government has shrunk by nearly £200million. Meanwhile, as people are living longer and more people choose to live in Brent, there is higher demand for council services than ever before.

This coupled with rapidly rising inflation, which is driving up the cost of goods, services, supplies and running buildings too, has meant the council’s budget is under significant pressure.

The budget gap means £18million of savings are needed to balance the books. It is proposed that £13.5million will be delivered in the upcoming 2023-24 financial year and the remainder will be delivered in the 2024-25 financial year.

Councillor Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council, said:

“In Brent, we face a constant balancing act between the many challenges we face. Drafting a balanced budget during a period of such instability, when every week brings a different unknown to respond to, has not been easy.

“The budget approved by Cabinet yesterday will see £116.7m spent on giving over 6,000 elderly and vulnerable residents vital social care support; £140m on our ambitious new council homes programme; £21.7m to continue collecting rubbish and recycling from 127,974 homes and keeping the borough clean and tidy, and £23.4m on public health initiatives, including those tackling health inequalities.

“However, to do this good work, we have made the difficult decision - along with most local authorities across the country - to increase council tax by 4.99%. The Mayor of London has also increased the amount that will go towards services across London like the police and the fire brigade, bringing the total increase to 6%. By paying an extra £2.10 per week, we can continue to deliver the services you value the most.

“This is not a decision the council has taken lightly, especially as we know how stretched people’s budgets are. That is why we are reinforcing the safety net for those most in need.

“If you are struggling with your bills or paying for essentials, and meet the eligibility criteria, you can get help through our Resident Support Fund and Council Tax Support Scheme.”

Find out more about the help available.

Read the council’s budget for 2023-24.