General Fund budget consultation 2024/25
Every year, the council has to set a balanced budget to make sure the money we spend delivering services is in line with the money we have available.
We will set our budget for 2024/25 in February 2024 and we want to hear your views on our proposals.
What does Canterbury City Council do?
Canterbury City Council delivers a wide range of services, including:
- waste and recycling collection
- street cleaning
- dealing with littering and fly tipping
- car parks
- public toilets
- dealing with planning applications
- running museums
- leisure centres and swimming pools
- social housing
- providing support for homeless people
Other services such as roadworks, social care, schools and libraries are delivered by Kent County Council.
How are Canterbury City Council services paid for?
The chart below shows where our money comes from:
Our draft budget for 2024/25
The draft budget contains various growth proposals, including:
- reinstating the market in Canterbury (see separate market consultation)
- reopening Sturry Road Park and Ride
- three hours of blue badge parking, increased from two hours
- proposed changes to charges in council car parks (see separate parking consultation)
Proposed council tax level
Although we collect the council tax you pay, it is split between us, Kent County Council, the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner who pays for Kent Police and the Kent Fire and Rescue Service.
Every year each of these organisations has to decide how much to increase its share of the council tax you pay.
Canterbury City Council has assumed a Council Tax increase of 2.99%, which equates to £6.77 per year for a Band D property. This is the current maximum percentage the government allows council tax to be increased by without the need to hold a local referendum.
Future savings options
We are also interested to know where you think we should look to make savings in 2024/25 if we need to.
More information
You can see full details of all the proposals in the following documents:
- Financial Outlook and draft budget – Policy Committee report
- Summary Financial Plan to 2025/26
- Detailed Financial Plan to 2025/26
- Draft capital programme 2024/25
- Fees & Charges 2024/25
- Risk Schedule
Have your say
Give us your views by completing our questionnaire by 5pm on Monday 8 January 2024.
Paper copies of the questionnaire are available on request. If you need a paper copy, please contact Victoria Asimaki, Principal Policy Officer (Engagement) at consultations@canterbury.gov.uk.
If you would like to see what questions you will be asked before you start filling in the survey, please see a list of the questions.
What happens next?
When the consultation has closed, all the feedback we receive will be reported to councillors in February 2024 who will set the budget for the coming year.
Published: 13 November 2023