Around Ealing Winter 2021 | Page 35

COUNCIL BUDGET

How the council spends money

60 % social care

“ We ’ ve also appealed to local people to help make our community stronger . So many residents take time out of their week to volunteer to make the borough better , and they ’ re inspiring other people to do the same . Our community spirit keeps growing stronger and it ’ s having such a positive impact on everyone who lives and works here .”
HOW DOES THE COUNCIL SPEND THIS MONEY ?
Around 60p in every £ 1 is spent on taking care of vulnerable adults and children . This remains the council ’ s priority , but demand is continuing to rise with more vulnerable adults and children with special educational needs and disabilities needing help . Another big-ticket item is helping people who are struggling with housing , including our homelessness service , with 4p in every £ 1 going to help house struggling families . And 11p pays for rubbish and recycling collections , parks maintenance and keeping streets clean .
Just 11p is spent on back-office services and the
Support for you
A decade of cuts to council ’ s core grant

64p 36p council has focused on making this as streamlined and efficient as possible through its Future Ealing programme . Even if this was to be cut in half today , it would not be enough to close that £ 52million gap . Councillor Donnelly continued : “ Unfortunately , there are no easy choices when it comes to balancing our budget . And , legally , we must balance it . If we can ’ t show that we can pay for all the services we need to provide in the year ahead , we must declare bankruptcy . That ’ s why it ’ s so important to get this right and make sure that we can afford all of the services that local people need . With less money coming from government , and more vulnerable people needing our help , this means looking to other ways of bridging the financial gap .”

The council tax support scheme could help working age residents on low incomes with little savings . In 2019 / 20 , the council gave £ 24,421,551 in support to 22,486 households . It is expected that this figure will rise this year , now furlough has ended . Find out whether you could be eligible at www . ealing . gov . uk / counciltax and click on ‘ discounts and exemptions ’.
around ealing Winter 2021 35