Suffolk County Council has today released details of its provisional budget proposals for 2009/10.

These proposals are subject to the announcement, by central government, of the local authority's finance settlement expected later this week. As in the previous two years, these are outline proposals for Scrutiny and subject to final details from central government and agreement by cabinet and council in February 2009.

The county council has estimated the likely level of the government grant settlement. Costs are going up by around 6.6% due to a range of factors. Based on initial forecasts, the county council has therefore drafted plans for an extra £5million for older people, £1.4million for vulnerable children and young people, £2.1million for the inescapable cost of landfill tax, £4million to manage and reduce the volumes of waste as well as £16.5million to cover inflation. This is after making savings of £12.5million.

The amount of funding from Government is expected to be in line with their previous announcements as part of the three year grant settlement. This would see a forecast increase in grant of 4.9% for 2009/10.

Councillor Jane Storey, portfolio holder for Resource Management and Transformation, said: "Whilst the economy is going through a deepening recession, the county council's finances are sound and we are in a good position to assist the local economy get through these challenges because of our previous prudent budgeting."

She continued, "Our challenge is as ever to find new ways to achieve even more efficiencies in order to redirect resources to front line services. Our main concern is to support and protect everyone in the community, especially the most vulnerable children and adults."

On 5th February 2009, the budget recommendations will be considered by the county council's Cabinet. Before then, Resources, Finance & Performance Scrutiny Committee will debate the proposed savings on 16th December 2008. The final decision on the level of Council Tax and the budget will be made at a meeting of the full Council on 19th February.

Leader of the Council, Councillor Jeremy Pembroke, said: "Our job is to care for vulnerable people and provide value for money services for everyone in Suffolk while keeping the council tax as low as possible. In these times of economic uncertainty there will continue to be growing demands for our services and the council will do all it can to help individuals and businesses through the economic downturn. The scrutiny proposals indicate that we would like to put additional cash into key areas while continuing to look at ways of making the council more efficient."