As well as providing everyday services, the council will be investing £352 million over the next 3 years in long-term projects. These projects will include:
- delivering housing including the purchase of 150 homes to provide temporary accomodation to homeless households
- creating school places
- improving roads
- investing in cultural and leisure facilities
- enhancing our town centres including delivering a new Healthy Living Centre in Chatham.
The money for these schemes comes from a number of sources, including borrowing, government grants and selling surplus assets.
The council spends £578 million a year providing services to Medway residents. The table below illustrates how spending is paid for, comparing figures to 2023 to 2024.
| 2023 to 2024 | 2024 to 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross revenue spending on council services | £530.269 million | £578.366 million |
| Less: gross income | £142.000 million | £139.797 million |
| Budget requirement | £388.269 million | £438.569 million |
| Less: government grant and business rates share | £239.386 million | £280.107 million |
| Council Tax requirement | £148.883million | £158.462 million |
| Plus: Parish precepts | £615,000 | £691,000 |
| Council Tax requirement including parishes | £149.498million | £159.153 million |
Changes in cost of services
The council plans to spend £578 million to provide services to residents, the table below shows how this is spent, comparing figures with 2023 to 2024.
| Services | Budget 2023 to 2024 | Budget 2024 to 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Services for children | £157.191 million | £190.146 million |
| Housing (including benefit payments) | £101.277 million | £85.857 million |
| Adult social services | £125.205 million | £142.269 million |
| Services for the environment | £56.367 million | £59.264 million |
| Leisure and cultural services | £20.022 million | £21.199 million |
| Public health | £16.504 million | £19.037 million |
| Other council services | £53.704 million | £60.593 million |
| Total spending | £530.269 million | £578.366 million |
| Less: Income from charges, government grants, etc | £381.386 million | £419.904 million |
| Council Tax requirement | £148.883 million | £158.462 million |
The Secretary of State made an offer to adult social care authorities. ('Adult social care authorities' are local councils which have functions under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014, namely county councils in England, district councils for an area in England for which there is no county council, London borough councils, the Common Council of the City of London and the Council of the Isles of Scilly.)
The offer was the option of an adult social care authority being able to charge an additional 'precept' on its Council Tax without holding a referendum, to assist the authority in meeting its expenditure on adult social care from the financial year 2016 to 2017. It was originally made in respect of the financial years up to and including 2019 to 2020. If the Secretary of State chooses to renew this offer in respect of a particular financial year, this is subject to the approval of the House of Commons.
How is my Council Tax worked out?
Each residential property is put into a valuation band. There are eight bands altogether according to the estimated market value, as at 1 April 1991.
The council divides the amount of money it needs to raise by the number of properties in Medway. This gives the amount each household pays. For example, in 2024 to 2025 people with a property in Band D will pay £1,754.69. (This is for council services only and doesn’t include the amount that is added on for police and fire services and charges by parishes). Charges for the remaining bands are a proportion of the Band D charge.
| Property value range | Band B | Proportion of Band D chargeable |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £40,000 | A | 6/9 |
| £40,001 to £52,000 | B | 7/9 |
| £52,001 to £68,000 | C | 8/9 |
| £68,001 to £88,000 | D | 9/9 |
| £88,001 to £120,000 | E | 11/9 |
| £120,001 to £160,000 | F | 13/9 |
| £160,001 to £320,000 | G | 15/9 |
| £320,001 and above | H | 18/9 |