Maidenhead & Windsor

Local residents look set to benefit from the Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough's lowest ever council tax rise of 2.4%.

At the same time the quality of frontline services will be maintained and there will be more money for priority services like community safety, roads and recycling.

The proposed Windsor and Maidenhead increase for 2008/09 – the lowest since the borough became a unitary authority in 1998 – should also leave older people and other vulnerable residents better off, since pensions and state benefits are expected to rise by 3.9%. ( The council has adopted the 2007 September Retail Price Index rate of 3.9% as its measure of inflation, bringing it into line with most state benefits. )

Cllr David Hilton, lead member for finance, said: "I am pleased to say that, taking inflation into account, this is a real-terms reduction and will mean a better deal for many residents.

"We have achieved this low increase in council tax by a continuous programme of improvement, keeping a close watch on how the council spends its money and finding better and cheaper ways of buying goods and services. A total of £1 million is being shaved off the budget by streamlining processes to create a more effective organisation, using money more effectively and by joining with other authorities to get cheaper prices from suppliers and contractors."

As well as the low 2.4% council tax increase, the new budget includes:

* funding of £93,000 for two new community wardens and joint funding for two more police community service officers
* a scheme to provide 5,000 free compost bins to help local people recycle even more of their household waste at a capital cost of approx £55,000
* 25% extra for improving borough roads (an additional £250,000 for the capital programme).

Cllr Hilton added: "Over the past few months we have made significant improvements to services the public have told us are their priorities, such as better planning enforcement and free on-street parking in Windsor for Advantage Card holders, and we are working with other groups and organisations to help create a workable plan for revitalising Maidenhead. If approved by council, the new budget gives us a strong base to continue our plans for service improvements that will benefit all our residents."

If the budget proposals get Windsor and Maidenhead council go-ahead, the Royal Borough's new Band D council tax rate for 2008/09 will be £1,017.88 – an increase of £23.90 (46 pence per week) over 2007/08 but £105 below the anticipated average Band D rate for unitary councils in England.

The budget proposals will be discussed by the corporate services overview and scrutiny committee on Monday January 28 before going to cabinet on Thursday February 7 and for final decision to full council on Tuesday February 26.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead