Windsor & Maidenhead council tax: How much you could be paying

As part of the 2022/23 budget setting, the Conservative-run council is proposing a 1.99 per cent increase in council tax and a one per cent rise in the adult social care precept – an increase of £33.82 for band D households.

This three per cent council tax rise is the maximum permitted by government without holding a referendum. This increase will generate the council an additional £2.4m that enables the local authority to set a balanced budget.

Within the report, it states: “Failure to do this [increase council tax] would result in the loss of some £2.4m of funding in 2022/23 and in future years. This would significantly worsen the council’s financial position.”

The budget has gone through a public consultation for a couple of months where over 1,800 residents responded. This response rate is nearly three times higher than the 2021/22 budget survey.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) raised council tax to the maximum allowed last year as well.

You can see how much your council tax will go up if councillors approve this year’s budget:

The chart only represents the increase in council tax. The total amount residents will have to pay will vary from area to area due to parish and town councils levying different amounts of tax.

The Thames Valley Police and the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service precepts are also set to rise.

Council leader Andrew Johnson (Image: RBWM)

Speaking at last week’s cabinet meeting, council leader Andrew Johnson said: “It is far to say that we are in a period of what can be described accurately as the cost of living crisis.

“Our council tax is going up by the rate of 65p a week, assuming that this budget is proposed.

“Generally, we don’t like to propose any increases in constraint times in living. However, we do need to continue invest in those key services, particularly the key statutory services, and even after the proposed increase in council tax, we will still have some of the lowest levels of council tax in England.”

The revenue budget, money used for day-to-day services such as adult social care, will have a total budget of £103.346m.

Adult social care and housing will see a £60,000 funding boost, totalling its 2022/23 budget to £40,711m.

READ MORE: Windsor & Maidenhead parking discount applications open

Children’s services will see funding to the tune of £27,145m. This is an increased £3 million investment in the service as part of a £10 million boost over the next three years.

Cost pressures of nearly £5.45m, plus an additional £140,000 pressure due to the arts funding, have been identified but finance officers have found nearly £3.4m-worth of savings to offset this.

RBWM has put £7.1m into its general reserves, money set aside to offset unexpected events or emergencies, along with over £4m for earmarked reserves, backup funds for a specific purpose, such as flood protection.

Council staff will see a pay award of two per cent from April and members’ allowances will also increase by two per cent.

The total budget for the capital programme, which funds projects and schemes for 2022/23, is just over £68m. Nealy £21.3m related to ongoing costs to existing schemes and over £20m will be for new investments.

READ MORE: Have your say on plans to revamp Sawyers Close in Windsor

Some of the major schemes include providing nearly £4m for new affordable homes over the next two years, £10m on flood reduction measures along the River Thames, as well as ongoing funds for the Broadway car park and Vicus Way car park.

The overall three-year capital programme will increase borrowing by £75.287m. Council borrowing is projected at £221m for 2022/23.

Most fees and charges, such as parking, are proposed to increase in line with inflation of 4.8 per cent. This could net the council about £9.8m in parking income.

Councillors are set to debate and vote on the budget at a full council meeting on Tuesday, February 22.