Budget Consultation 2022-23

Overview

Every year, we spend around £100 million providing public services that you, your family and friends use every day. Oxford City Council wants to hear from you on its budget proposals for 2022-23.

The last 18 months have proved a financial challenge for our residents and businesses and also the Council’s finances. We have been impacted by both additional costs associated with responding to the pandemic and a very significant reduction in income from car parks, town hall bookings, leisure centres, rental income from shops and offices we own, and reduced commercial waste and other paid for services delivered by our direct services business ODS. The overall adverse impact on the city Council’s General Fund, mainly arising from losses on key income streams, is estimated at around £23 million between 2020 and 2026. To date the Government has awarded is expected to award the Council around £11 million in financial support, far short of the amount of losses arising from COVID 19.

To bridge the financial gap over the period of the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2026 and maintain existing service levels, the Council will:

• make a further £18.9 million of efficiencies and increased income from fees and charges leading to ongoing increases of £6.4 million annually with effect from 2025-26.
• use around £11 million from reserves and balances.
• Continue with its approach to service transformation, for instance by reducing our office footprint and encouraging staff to work from home, combining directorates, making new use of technology and improving how these systems operate, reviewing how we procure goods and services and review our progress to enabling access to more services electronically on line and self- service by our customers.  

The draft budget proposes a Council Tax rise of 1.99% for the next financial year from April 2022, an increase of £6.37 per year, or 12 pence per week, for the average band D household.

We would like to hear your views on our draft budget and get a deeper understanding of your priorities, needs and aspirations in relation to our services and your community.