In 2021/22 we will spend around £370m providing services to our communities and invest £50m in large-scale projects across our services.
We need to produce a balanced budget each year. This means the money we receive from the Scottish Government, council tax and other sources must meet the cost of delivering services and ongoing investment to protect and improve our communities.
This is how we are going to achieve it this year
| Service |
2020/21 Budget
£'000 |
2021/22 Budget
£'000 |
| Children's Services |
209,716 |
215,294 |
| Social Work Adult Services |
3,678 |
3,620 |
| Development Services |
27,552 |
28,710 |
| Corporate & Housing Services |
28,940 |
33,789 |
| Trading Accounts |
(510) |
(510) |
| Sub-Total |
269,376 |
280,903 |
| Falkirk Community Trust |
10,896 |
13,755 |
| Integration Joint Board |
67,222 |
70,555 |
| Joint Valuation Board |
1,392 |
1,424 |
| Capital Charges |
9,005 |
10,222 |
| Fiscal Flexibilities |
|
(6,998) |
| Total Net Expenditure |
357,891 |
369,861 |
| Aggregate External Finance |
288,401 |
298,364 |
| General Fund Reserves Applied |
|
2,007 |
| Council Tax (see below) |
69,490 |
69,490 |
| Total Income |
357,891 |
369,861 |
| Council Tax |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
| Estimated yield of £1 Council Tax |
£56,700 |
£56,700 |
| Council Tax (Band D) |
£1,225.58 |
£1,225.58 |
| Product |
£69,490,000 |
£69,490,000 |
We continue to face a significant financial challenge over the next five years with a projected budget shortfall of around £74m. Significant work is underway to ensure we reduce the impact on services that this shortfall could have.
The budget reflects the massive impact COVID-19 has had across local communities over the past year and will continue to have through the next.
Its focus was on the three principal areas identified as part of the Council's medium-term financial plan:
- Communities – working more closely with the voluntary sector to deliver services
- Enterprise – ensuring local businesses are supported across all sectors
- Innovation – changing the way services are delivered and using digital technology to ensure communities maximise opportunities.
1% of the budget will be used by communities who will decide where this funding can be best used to improve local areas with a total value of £3m over two years.
Fees and charges
Some of our fees and charges will be increasing this year. Wherever possible we have aimed to keep these in line with inflation but some charges are higher because we are making them cover the full cost of providing the service. Some new charges will be introduced.
How is the budget split between our Services?
| Service | £000s |
|---|
| Childrens Services | 215,294 |
| Corporate and Housing Services | 33,789 |
| Development Services | 28,710 |
| Social Work Adult Services | 3,620 |
Savings options approved
Capital investment
As part of the budget, investment across the Falkirk Council area was agreed for the next five years helping to fund major projects and improve the area. In total, over £310m will be committed to various projects, including:
- Extensions to five Primary Schools (£6.1m)
- Buy Back of PPP Secondary Schools (£4.9m)
- Grangemouth Flood Protection Scheme (£107m)
- Roads Infrastructure (£18m)
- Falkirk Crematorium New Cremators and External Works (£2.1m)
- Energy Efficiency & Carbon Footprint Improvements (£10.5m)
- Vehicle Replacement Programme (£7.9m)
- New Council HQ and Arts Centre (£40.5m)
- Connected Falkirk – Digital Learning (£3.9m)
- Purchase of various hardware and software systems to enable staff to deliver services including Mobile & Flexible Working devices (£11.2m)