Council Leader Rawlings shows optimism despite budget gaps. He awaits government support for Barnet Council.
The council proposed £23.5 million in savings. They are also seeking government help for £59 million, applying for exceptional financial support (EFS). The council will know the EFS decision soon, with the decision expected by late February.
Zinkin questioned where the £55 million would come from. Simon Radford, the cabinet member for finance, said that the council is handling challenges. Their priorities include budget planning and protecting services. They plan for growth and are working with the government to fix long-term budget issues.
Rawlings says they will balance the budget. He says it’s required legally and rationally, explaining that they have a plan to achieve this financial balance. Ross Houston also discussed increasing student needs, mentioning a rise in education, health, and care plans.
Radford said EHCPs rose 120% since 2015, while the student population only increased by 10%. Barnet is known for their schools and their well-regarded special needs programs. People move there for these programs, but they are costly.
Radford then spoke about temporary housing costs, noting that homeless applications doubled in two years. Temporary housing cost about £7 million for the first quarter of 2024, and about £8 million for the second quarter. Barnet has fewer social houses than other areas.
Radford criticized the prior government’s finances. He says they inherited a fragile council and they didn’t improve things during good times. He says the Labour party must now fix the problems.