Vale of White Horse District Council
Abbey House, Abbey Close,
Abingdon, OX14 3JE
Email: comments@whitehorsedc.gov.uk
Telephone: 01235 520202

Vale of White Horse District Council

Budget 2008/09

The Vale of White Horse District Council has agreed its 2008/09 budget which will lead to a £5.09 increase for a Band D property in its portion of the Council Tax.

On 27 February 2008 the Council set a budget of £16.3 million with identified new savings of around £400,000 a year. This has resulted in an increase of the Vale's Council Tax of just under five per cent, representing a £5.09 increase in the Band D charge from £102.07 to £107.16 for the year. This Vale charge represents less than eight per cent of the total average Band D Council Tax bill, the rest going to the County Council (78 per cent), the police (10 per cent) and town and parish councils (almost four per cent).

As well as provision for statutory District Council services like waste collection, local planning and housing and Council Tax benefit, the budget will also provide funding for the Council's long term strategy and priorities including affordable housing, creating cleaner, greener, safer and healthier communities and improving and modernising access to our services.

This year a new priority has been introduced to tackle climate change, including addressing the effects of extreme weather, like flooding.

Spending commitments include:

• Investing to tackle climate change
• Part funding a homeless prevention officer to continue helping local people find decent homes (the remainder will be paid for by Government grant)
• Increasing funding for disabled facilities grants
• Making online payments available for planning and building regulations, car park fines and permits and waste collection services
• Conducting a specialist air quality survey and assessment work in Botley
• Supporting Abingdon Town Council's bid to improve the Museum.

Savings and increased charges include:

• Closing Faringdon Cash Office once alternatives for cash payments and information are in place
• Increasing charges for the Brown Bin service from £29 to £33 a year
• Investing money received from the sale of the Old Gaol in Abingdon for at least three years
• Working on a joint rubbish, recycling and street cleaning contract with South Oxfordshire District Council
• Reducing opening hours during off-peak times at Tilsley Park in Abingdon, the Abingdon Guildhall and the Wantage Civic Hall
• Withdrawing the free green sack service for residents previously eligible
• Reducing community grants.