Barry Rawlings referenced the borough’s £52million budget gap as he looked ahead to 2025
Barry Rawlings pictured outside Hendon Town Hall (credit Barnet Council)
The leader of Barnet Council has used his New Year message to warn of “difficult decisions” as his administration prepares to tackle a massive budget gap in 2025.
In the message, Barry Rawlings told local residents: “As many of you may know, because of inflation and unprecedented increases in demand for council services, the council’s budget gap is £52m for next year.”
He added: “These budget pressures are set to continue for some time and addressing them will mean being an ever-leaner organisation focused on delivering fewer priorities.
“This will mean making difficult decisions over the coming months, and as a Barnet resident, I know that many people will find some changes difficult.”
The council is currently carrying out a consultation on a 4.98% increase in council tax alongside other identified savings, with cabinet member for finance Ammar Naqvi saying there will be “no stone unturned” as the administration seeks to plug the funding gap. Additional support is also likely to be sought from central government.
Concluding his New Year message, Cllr Rawlings told residents: “We do have serious challenges ahead of us, but I know in Barnet if we work together, we can tackle them together.
“I look forward to working with you in 2025 to make Barnet even more brilliant.”
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