Thanet council’s draft budget for 2024/2025 includes plans for more open spaces and street cleaning staff, increased spending on playground maintenance and parks and a £180k spend for harbour dredging.
The budget for the 2024/25 financial year is estimated at £23.601m for 2024/25, representing a £2.189m increase on net revenue spending compared to 2023/24.
The increased funds are boosted by additional retained business rates income (£1.667m); increases in fees and charges (£0.350m) and council tax income (£0.590m).
Planned investments
Open Spaces – £65k to be allocated in 2024/25, with a further £57k proposed for 2025/26, for the recruitment of three full time equivalent (FTE) new staff positions over a two year period. The funding will also allow for additional transportation costs and supplies and services and be used for some additional graffiti cleaning A £35k capital investment will pay for an additional vehicle for the service.
Playground Maintenance £22.5k – Budget increase for playground maintenance of £30k overall, with £22.5k allocated through the general fund and a further £7.5k from the Housing Revenue Account for investment in parks.
Cleansing £68k – It is proposed to create six new street cleansing operative posts though the this £68k allocation and reallocation of £120k of budget savings, which have already been identified primarily through the implementation of a ‘four-on four-off’ rota.
Resident Engagement £11k – Allocation to continue using the new online engagement platform ‘Your Voice Thanet’
Member Casework Delivery Officer £33k – One additional full time equivalent post for improved coordination of councillor casework and responding to ward queries.
Pay awards – A 5.75% pay award costing approximately £1.075m.
Port and Harbour Dredging £180k – The dredging budget has been reduced over several years to the point where the port and harbour cannot complete adequate dredging operations to maintain safe access to the port and harbour.
Port and Harbour Maintenance £50k – Maintenance contract with approved lock gate
operator for 6 monthly/ annual inspections and maintenance on lock gates and bascule bridge.
Income
Fees and charges for 2024/25 target a minimum 8% inflationary increase
Maritime – Inflation based increases in charges should generate a further £164k.
Parking – A broad inflation based increase to bring in an additional £150k.
Garden Waste – The council is considering applying an inflation based increase which may increase income budget by a further £15k
Crematorium – Fees and charges – no changes proposed
Council Tax – a 3% increase proposal results in a £7.64 increase in band D
Capital projects
The Margate Town Deal, Ramsgate and Margate Levelling Up schemes and Ramsgate High Street Fund (total funds of £51m)
Housing Assistance Policy (including Disabled Facilities Grants) £3m per annum grant funded.
Vehicle & Equipment Replacement Programme – £10.960m over four years, including budget provision for electrification of refuse collection vehicles.
Property Enhancement Programme – £1.250m over 4 year programme to allow for capital enhancement to corporate property estate.
End User Computing Refresh of Devices & IT Infrastructure – £0.740m over four years
Ramsgate Port – Berth 1 Refurbishment – £300k
Royal Harbour Multi-Storey Car Park – £3m in 2025/26 for the purchase of this site (which the council currently leases),
Homelessness Accommodation (phase 2) – The total size of this capital project is £2.2m, of which £1.2m is profiled for 2024/25 (funded from borrowing).
Extra staffing
2 FTE planning posts at a cost of £124k, funded from planning income
1FTE new Private Sector Housing Projects Officer £50kpa
1 FTE new Public Health Agenda Officer within Regulatory Services, initially for a 3 year fixed term contract (£117k total)
2 posts (1 FTE) procurement £80k
The budget proposals will be discussed at a Thanet council Cabinet meeting on Thursday (October 19). If approved, there will be a consultation with residents and stakeholders over the proposals.
The draft budget will then be considered by the Overview & Scrutiny Panel on 16 January 2024 and if the Panel makes recommendations these will be discussed ay a Cabinet meeting on 25 January 2024 before going to Full Council for budget approval on 8 February and council tax approval on 22 February.
