feature: Council Budget Plans 2008/9

5 February 2008

Haringey Council is finalising its budget for 2008/9.

Haringey Council’s budget proposals for 2008/9 will see investment in a range of key services coupled with a small rise in the Council Tax paid by residents.

The proposals were agreed by the council’s Cabinet last month, after detailed planning and discussion at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee which puts council decision-making under the microscope.

The spending plan looks ahead over the coming three years. Areas for extra spending include repairing potholes, recycling, young people’s services and help for adults needing social care.

The proposed increase in the Haringey Council Tax is 63p a week for an average Band D property, in line with the council’s commitment to keep increases at no more than three per cent a year.

The budget aims to deliver value for money, efficiency savings and resources targeted at the council’s five agreed priorities:

Making Haringey one of London’s greenest boroughs
Creating a better Haringey; cleaner, greener and safer
Encouraging lifetime well-being at home, work, play and learning
Promoting independent living while supporting adults and children when needed
Delivering excellent, customer-focused cost-effective services

Council Services

Haringey is a good and improving three out of four star council, according to official local government watchdog the Audit Commission.

The council provides a wide range of services:

Nurseries, children’s centres, primary and secondary schools
Recycling, rubbish collection and street cleansing
Community safety and tackling anti-social behaviour
Libraries, parks, sports centres and youth clubs;
Road safety and maintenance
Social care for children and adults
Affordable housing and homelessness help
Development control and planning
Environmental health, consumer protection and licensing
Economic development and regeneration
Meals on Wheels and home helps
Elderly services

The A to Z Guide to Council Services in Haringey which you will get with your council tax bill has everything you need to know about council services and how to get in touch. Why not keep it near your telephone for easy reference?

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Help with the bills

If you are unemployed or on a low income you could get help with the Council Tax and your rent.

To check whether you can claim Council Tax and Housing Benefit simply call Haringey Customer Services on freephone 0845 071 2800, or drop in to any Customer Service Centre.

Remember adults living on their own get a discount on the Council Tax, and you may qualify for other discounts as well.

Why not switch to Direct Debit?

The easiest and most efficient way to pay your Council Tax is by direct debit. Some 10,000 residents already take advantage of this safe, guaranteed way to pay. To join them just fill in and return the form in the booklet you will receive next month with your bill, and the payment is made automatically from your account. Paying this way also cuts the council’s administration costs.

You can find more information on ways to pay online or you can call Customer Services on 0845 073 3557.

Did you know?

Money raised from the Council Tax only makes up about a quarter of council spending. The rest comes from Government grant and business rates.

The grant is set by central government, using a complex formula designed to share resources for local needs according to a range of indicators. Business rates are also paid over to Whitehall and allocated back centrally.

The Council Tax is the only part of the package that councils fix themselves, within limits set by central government.

Haringey’s overall budget for 2008/9 is some £402 million. Just over 40 per cent of this spending goes towards our 80 odd primary, secondary and special schools.

Final decisions on the Council Tax are being taken by the Full Council on 18 February. Residents will receive their bills for 2008/9 by the middle of March.