2008/9 Budget

Tuesday night was the budget meeting for the next financial year. The papers were massive - three times as long as normal - but that's to be expected: the budget is an incredibly complex process, and witnessing it for the first time as a councillor, I have come to appreciate much more fully the difficulties faced in balancing the budget, and yet still achieving the good things that we wish for the borough.

The budget represents an thorough approach to the challenges of next year. It properly funds the workings of the council, whilst also seeking to encourage others that deliver services that are central and critical to the lives of residents, via the Sponsored Organisation Scheme.

I suppose much could be made of the 'mud-slinging' that Councillor Mrs. Savage perceived to be occuring, as the debate roved backwards and forwards through the differing interpretations of the previous administration's handling of the borough's funds. However, I'm looking forward not back, and believe that this year will see even more diligent and appropriately innovative reviews of the borough's function and form, and see an even better value budget next year.

Oh, and I'm not saying I understand every single piece of local government jargon just yet! The budget is full of phrases that I always have to look up and check, but, I do know that we're headed in the right direction.