02/01/2024: District council sets out plans for 2024/25 budget

Councillors are set to discuss draft plans for Breckland Council's next annual budget and residents are being invited to share their views too.

At a meeting of the district council's Cabinet on 8 January, members will discuss the proposed budget for 2024/25, which outlines how money on district council services will be spent over the coming year.

The draft budget being put forward is balanced, meaning the amount the council intends to spend is around the same as the income it expects to receive. The new budget, which when finalised will be in place from April 2024, proposes the council makes no cuts to any of its core services.

In addition, Breckland Council continues to set aside funding for ongoing support for some of Breckland's most vulnerable residents.

Councillors will hear that the budget also maintains support for businesses, including a continuation of the centrally-funded discount for local retail, hospitality and leisure businesses that pay business rates, at a reduced rate of 75%.

At the Cabinet meeting, councillors will hear that the council expects to be able to deliver these initiatives and balance the budget if it increases annual district council tax by £4.95 for a band D property in 2024/25.

For a typical Band D property in Breckland, that equates to around £114 per year in district council tax, paying for services such as bin collections, street cleaning, assessing planning applications, licensing, and housing support. However, most people in the district would see a smaller rise in district council tax, as around 75% of houses are in bands A-C, which pay lower tax rates.

Cllr Phil Cowen, Breckland Council's Executive Member for Finance Revenue and Benefits, said "Breckland Council has proposed a balanced budget that aims to avoid cuts to core services, despite the increasing pressure on public spending and the rising costs of inflation. This proposed budget is a positive step that will help maintain the quality of life for residents in the area and ensure the district thrives."

Members of the public are being invited to comment on the draft budget proposals as part of a consultation which runs until 21 January. Comments from the public and members of the council will be taken into consideration before the finalised budget is presented to the members of Full Council for discussion in February.

For more information about the budget proposals and how to take part in the consultation, visit or visit the council's offices in Dereham or Thetford.