Many will have been surprised that Surrey has chosen to trigger a council tax referendum but I'm sure all recognise that we have to set a budget that will protect vital services for our residents.
The Government has cut our annual grant by £170m since 2010, even though demand for our adult social care, learning disabilities support and children's services is increasing every year. With services brought to breaking point, I regret that we have no choice but to propose this 15% increase.
The Government recognises we need £70m to support people with learning disabilities but has still cut our funding for this by £32m. We're getting nothing this year from the Better Care Fund, nothing next year and just £1.5m in 2019/20, despite the Government calculating we need £25m. At the same time, demand for adult social care is increasing by £24m every year.
'The system is so unfair that the Government is expecting Surrey residents to pay them £17m in 2019/20'
The Government accepts our figures and is sympathetic, but sympathy won't pay the bills. We believe grant cuts coupled with increasing pressures are having a greater impact in Surrey than in other councils and it's unfair that Surrey residents have to foot the bill but our hands have been tied. If we don't increase council tax now we'll be forced to make cuts to services that will have a huge impact on residents.
We can make more efficiencies and we intend to. We've saved £450m since 2010 and we're aiming to save £700m by 2020. But by 2019, our Government grant is set to almost disappear and the Government is expecting most services to be funded out of council tax. The system is so unfair that the Government is expecting Surrey residents to pay them £17m in 2019/20.
It would be irresponsible of us not to act now. Funding cuts will continue in future years so it's vital we act now to preserve services in the future.
I didn't become a councillor to slash services and decimate the fabric of our community. We know this could cost us votes but we would have no integrity if I didn't stand up for what is best for Surrey residents.
