Your thoughts on the Budget for 2023 to 2024

Suffolk County Council is keen to hear from Suffolk residents, businesses and local communities, as it decides its budget for next year.

An online survey has been launched, and a number of focus groups will be held, for you to have your say on the services which are important to you.

A summary of your responses will be included in the report considered by the council when agreeing the budget in February 2023.

• Read how the Cost of living will impact council’s budget
• Take part in the online survey
• Read more about the council’s finances in the Annual Plan 2022-23

The budget setting process includes your thoughts, advice from council officers, elected members from political groups, businesses and partners in health and other public service organisations across Suffolk.

A proposed budget will be presented at a Cabinet meeting in January 2023 and the final budget will be discussed at Full Council in February 2023.

The online survey is open throughout October and November, and focus groups are being organised with local community groups and for members of the public. Details of these will be shared on the council’s website and social media channels in due course.

Budget for 2022 to 2023

On Thursday 17 February 2022, Full Council approved its Budget for 2022-23 (i.e. the period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023).  This comprised a net revenue budget of £625.4 million and a capital programme of £104.6 million. 

The 2022-23 Budget has been developed to enable the Council to continue to manage both the financial implications of COVID-19 and the ongoing challenges that face the public sector and local government. In particular, the 2022-23 Budget recognises £24.2 million of inflation, £29.5 million of cost pressures, with this being offset by £1.1 million of mitigating actions and £9.1 million of savings resulting from transformational change. 

Further details of the contents of the 2022-2023 Budget and 2022-2025 Capital Programme, and the process for setting it, are available via the links below: 

• 2022 to 2023 Budget and 2022 to 2025 Capital Programme: a comprehensive overview of the council’s finances for period from 2022 to 2025, including details of its spending plans, service pressures, savings programmes, income targets and investment in assets.

• 2022 to 2023 Annual Plan: an outline of the council’s aims and ambitions for the year ahead, and its reflections on the past year. This includes summaries of the key financial information that underpins the 2022-2023 Budget and 2022-2025 Capital Programme, linking these to the council’s wider priorities.

As part of its 2022 to 2023 Budget and 2022 to 2025 Capital Programme, the council agreed the Council Tax that it will levy on its residents in 2022 to 2023.

The Finance Privacy Notice can be found via the following link: Finance privacy notice | Suffolk County Council