Cllr Shantanu Rajawat, Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services, said:
“Over the past year we worked hard and managed to protect key frontline services despite huge pressures on our budgets due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Hounslow we have seen devastating effects of COVID-19 for the local economy in terms of furlough numbers, unemployment levels and the rise in welfare support needed by our communities, especially by the most vulnerable. It is still impossible to be certain about the costs of COVID-19.
“The work we have done to support residents and businesses, through the Council Tax support scheme and the various support schemes we have on offer, such as hardship payments, business grants and rent support has been vital.
“Volatility in regards to Business Rates means we cannot be sure when, if ever, we will see a return to normal. We cannot know how businesses will be affected in months to come. We know that without our support, many will find meeting their challenges much harder.
“As we look to the Borough’s recovery, we need to maximise the Hounslow pound, invest in re-skilling and supporting residents back into work and to invest in support for young people through apprenticeships and other work. The need for local government has never been greater.
“While we had to meet this huge crisis, we also had to make sure we continued ‘the basics’; collecting bins and increasing recycling, fixing roads, maintaining parks, bringing back our leisure centres, ensuring our libraries were available, caring for elderly, and protecting vulnerable children. No part of what we do has not touched the lives of every resident or business.
“Our residents are at the heart of everything we do and we will continue to do all we can to protect the services they value, balancing out any uncertainty from the Government in future years.”
This budget was passed at Borough Council on 2 March 2021. Read the full budget
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