Revenue budget and capital programme

Budget 2008/09

The Council is required to set a balanced budget by the end of February each year. The 2008/09 budget process started in the summer of 2007 with the County Council considering and approving the budget at its meeting on 14 February 2008.

The budget incorporates a number of strands – the councils’ priorities, service pressures including demographic changes and the need to maintain and develop existing services. The need to spend is considered against available resources not least the level of Council Tax.

The whole process has been set against the background of the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 (CSR07) which provides the context for public sector spending over the next 3 years.  

Bedfordshire County Council received a 2% increase in Government Grant in 2008/09 which was the joint lowest of all County Councils. The Medium Term Strategy sets out the Councils intention to reduce Council Tax over the medium term. The 2008/09 increase of 3.8% is lower than that in the previous MTFS and is also less than the average of all County Councils.

 2008-09 Budget Book| (PDF document opens in a new window)