Council tax budget 2024-25

For more information you can read the full budget report.

Kingston Council has agreed a budget for 2024-25 that focuses on delivering core services for residents most in need and continues its work with partners to create a fairer, safer, greener borough for all. 

Leader of Kingston Council and Portfolio Holder for Finance, Cllr Andreas Kirsch, said:

“With costs rising, demand for services increasing and very little funding from central government, the challenges we are now facing are more significant than ever. This means we have had to take difficult decisions about how to allocate the finite resources available.
 
“We are working harder than ever to find even more cost effective ways of providing the best possible services to residents. Our work with our partners and communities to do things differently is now more important than ever.
 
“Many people are facing a difficult time at the moment with the current cost of living crisis. Help is available for those on low incomes or claiming certain benefits through our council tax reduction scheme.”

All local authorities are required to set an annual budget which balances the money spent on services with income generated and funding received. On 29 February 2024, Budget Council approved a budget of £178m that will be spent on supporting the increasing social care needs of children and adults, and providing accommodation for the growing number of people needing temporary housing. 

This budget sets out how the council will deliver on these commitments while meeting the pressures of rising costs caused by the national economic crisis, increasing levels and complexity of need and significant long-term underfunding from central government.

The budget for 2024-25 includes providing close to 1,000 families and individuals with temporary accommodation. Over 1,000 of the borough’s most vulnerable children are being supported through care placements, specialist help and home to school transport for those with special educational needs. In addition the council is assisting over 3,000 adults and their carers with help at home, mental health support and community day services.

As well as supporting the most vulnerable residents, the council is delivering for the whole borough. It is building the first new, sustainable council homes in 40 years. New council housing has already been completed at two sites and construction is underway on 2,170 new sustainable homes on the Cambridge Road Estate, 871 of which will be council homes.

Kingston is one of the first councils in the UK to fully replace its waste fleet with 27 electric vehicles. It has also installed 250 new electric vehicle charging points across the borough, upgraded 21 community parks, planted 450 trees and replaced over 6,000 street lights with modern LED bulbs which use half the power of older bulbs.