At a meeting of Full Council, Councillors agreed a 2022/23 budget that includes sustainable and resilient measures to respond to uncertainties in long-term Scottish Government funding, while mitigating the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which is continuing to be felt across all Council services.
With a long-term goal to ensure financial stability across future years, the Council remains committed to supporting its communities, growing the local economy and enhancing infrastructure by investing nearly £38 million in its capital programme.
Maintaining key services
The core programme will deliver spending on a wide-range of projects that support the local authority’s key priorities, including:
- £7.1m for road and infrastructure improvements.
- £1.25 million for community facilities.
- £4 million for enhancing schools and other education settings.
- £11.8m for projects involving the City Region Deal.
These investments will be supported by a Council Tax increase of 3%, below the current inflation rate, which will help the local authority deliver essential everyday services and achieve a better, fairer Stirling for all of its residents.
Support for rising cost of living
The 2022/23 budget, which was set following community engagement with residents, will also allow for additional one-off investment of nearly £2 million in a range of areas, including support to households facing growing financial pressure due to the rising cost of living.
These include:
- £450,000 to offer a one-off fuel support payment of £100 to those households meeting the required eligibility criteria.
- £120,000 to increase the school clothing grant payment to primary pupils from £130 to £200, and to secondary pupils from £150 to £200.
- £378,000 to enhance the Scottish Child Bridging payments made during school holidays to eligible children and young people of school age P1-S6 in receipt of Free School Meals, seeing payments of £130 per week increase by £20 per week.
Investing in Stirling's communities
Convener of Stirling Council’s Finance and Economy Committee, Cllr Margaret Brisley, said: “We are pleased to have agreed a balanced budget which will continue to invest in and deliver the services our communities have told us are important to them, while planning ahead carefully and responsibly.
“With ongoing uncertainty over future Government funding, we have taken steps to ensure that we can be a resilient and sustainable Council in the future, while doing all that we can to support our communities.
“With this in mind, an increase in Council Tax has been necessary, keeping it below inflation as we understand that household budgets across Stirling are facing pressure due to the increasing cost of living.
“That is why we are trying to assist families who are struggling with a one-off expenditure of nearly £2 million in a range of measures that will help people at a time of desperate need.
“We want to help ease the pressure on those facing the greatest challenges and the support we are offering will be invaluable to many.”
Building for the future
Vice Convenor, Councillor Alison Laurie, said: “Today’s budget is one that reflects both the financial environment we have to operate in, and also our continued pledge to deliver for the people of Stirling.
“This has been a very challenging exercise in very difficult times and it has been a balancing act between what is affordable, long term sustainability and providing assistance to those facing the most pressure.
“This budget protects vital services and supports our residents, providing extra resources to help those most at risk of fuel poverty due to the rising cost of energy bills.
“Through sound financial planning we have also been able to set a budget which builds for the future, delivering the investment Stirling needs to realise our ambitions for our area and ensure we continue to grow and prosper.”