Borough Council

COUNCIL TAX INFORMATION 2019/20

Message from Councillor David Ellesmere, Leader, Ipswich Borough Council:

Ipswich Borough Council will continue to provide a wide range of quality services to the people of Ipswich despite major cuts in government funding. Our innovative approach to meeting our financial challenges will protect frontline services from cuts while making savings in the running of the council. We have significantly increased our income by investing in commercial properties across Ipswich. While other councils are increasing their charges for brown bins, Ipswich remains the only council in to offer this service free of charge. Over the coming year we will continue to invest to improve Ipswich. Working with our partners we are successfully starting to bring down the number of people sleeping rough in Ipswich. Later this year we will be opening a new unit to keep homeless families out of temporary bed and breakfast accommodation. We are continuing to build new council houses with Cauldwell Hall Road and the old Tooks bakery our latest sites. We are continuing to invest in arts, culture and entertainment. We have won Stage 1 Lottery funding to improve the Museum and will start work on renovating the Regent. We will maintain the support we give to Ipswich’s nationally important cultural organisations. We will make a free summer iCard scheme for young people permanent. We will support the town centre by helping to fund a series of events, starting the regeneration of public spaces and offering attractive parking deals at our new Crown car park and elsewhere. Unlike some other councils, we will maintain the level of grants we give to community and voluntary organisations such as Citizens’ Advice. We always try to keep your council tax bills as low as possible. Ipswich’s increase in council tax of 16p a week for most residents forms only a small part of the increase you will see in your bill this year. In contrast, are increasing their share of bills by 74p a week and the Police & Crime Commissioner by 36p a week for most residents.

Find out more at: www.ipswich.gov.uk/council-tax & CrimeCommissionerforSuffolk Message from TimPassmore, Police Leader ofSuffolk CountyCouncil Message from CllrMatthewHicks, impose themaximum increase because position, butIfelt Ihadnochoicebutto D property. Thisputmeinavery difficult precept byupto£24 perannumforaBand ability toraisethepolicingelement ofthe Policing Minister it shouldbespent. away from thesheerscaleoffinancial all services.Unfortunately, Icannotshy to theexperiencedstaff whoworkacross and manageourfinances.Thisistestament stronger positionduetothewayweplan I amproud tosaythatSuffolk remains ina from residents. Ihaveheardideas, storiesandconcerns thoughts from themanyconversations, the CouncilandIamcertainlydrawingmy This yearisthefirstformeasLeaderof tough callstomakeaspartofthisprocess. formative discussions.There are always views oflocalhouseholdersduringthese representatives, councillorsreflect the employment andeducation.Ascommunity and othersocialeffects includinghousing, based onexpectedchangesinpopulation for policingourcounty, anddecidinghow be askedtopaythrough yourcounciltax budget, whichincludeshowmuchyouwill This meansIamresponsible forsettingthe set thepolicingpartofyourcounciltax. the policinggrantsfrom and government and CrimeCommissioneristodistribute A majorpartofmyrole asSuffolk’s Police , NickHurd gavePCCs the in thefuture may change and howthese council services faced bylocal the pressures looking at process by budget setting begin the Each yearwe

This proposal willsee eightnewpolice and improved visibility -willbeaddressed. increase inviolentand drug-related crime -the me thatthetwomajorconcerns for thenextfinancialyearand hasassured The ChiefConstablehaspresented hisplan • • • • Chief Constableto: (for aBandDproperty) willallowthe The £2amonthprecept increase to thepolicingbudgetfor2019/20. This pr the countywouldbecompromised. without it,thepolicingcapabilityacross care services. precept, specificallyforsupportingadult tax by2.99%andapplya1%SocialCare that wedoneedtoincrease basicCouncil grant,buttherealitycentral Government is made possiblebyabetter-than-expected to £519million.Inpart,thisrisehasbeen increasing ourcouncilbudgetbyover3%, spending more ontheseservicesthisyear, I ampleasedtoconfirmthatwewillbe highest priority. most vulnerableresidents shouldbeofthe I’m sure youwillagree thatsupportingour directly touchedbysomeoftheseservices, of budget.Whilstnoteveryonemaybe pot ofwhat’s leftintheremaining 25% as theydrawfrom anincreasingly smaller every otherservicemustfindwaystoadapt Suffolk CountyCouncil’s totalbudgetso services nowaccountforaround 75%of after children. Ouradultandchildren’s services foradultcare aswelllooked There isanincreasing demandinstatutory feeling thesamepressures inSuffolk. are welldocumented,andweare increasingly These challenges facedinlocalgovernment.

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these eventsare available onourwebsite. you.Detailsof the issuesthatconcern engagement eventstohearat first-hand Each yearIhaveaprogramme ofpublic website www.suffolk-pcc.gov.uk. this isaccountedforavailableonour the nextfinancialyear. Fulldetailofhow of £4.8mextraforthepolicingbudget throughout theyear, thiswillgiveusatotal cost pressures andaddedthesavingsmade Once wehaveaccountedforunavoidable will beincreased by£9.2m. pension scheme.Inall,thepolicingbudget the employers’contributionstopolice grant of£1.2mtohelpfundtheincrease in home officegrantof£1.3mandaone-off your counciltax,alongwiththeadditional £6.5m through thepolicingelementof The £24perannumincr across thecounty. serious violencewhichwilloperate squad of21officerstofightdrugsand officers inourcountytownandatargeted see usinvestinthefuture ofSuffolk. the budgetfor2019/2020willcontinueto financially soundasalocalauthorityand I amproud ofthefactthatweremain crossing overLakeLothinginLowestoft. pace, asdoestheworktobuildanewriver broadband connectionworkcontinuesat continue todevelopinSuffolk. Highspeed through someofthemajorprojects that effective publicservices.Thiscanbeseen growing oureconomyanddelivering We remain absolutelycommittedto can havethegreatest benefitto residents. focus ourresources intheareas where we £4 beingspentonsocialcare, wemust strong feeling.However, with£3inevery is auniversalservicethatalwaysraises action. IknowthatHighwaysandTransport and theareas where youwantustotake where youwanttoseeusfocusourbudget events. You haveshared yourviewson many ofyouduringourWe Are Listening in May2018,andIhaveenjoyedmeeting I becameLeaderofSuffolk CountyCouncil ease willraise

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