Royal Borough approves 2013/14 budget - with £7.5million saving

A list of the Conservative administration's achievements was read to councillors before they approved the 2013/14 budget last night.

Royal Borough leader David Burbage (Con, Bray) reeled off dozens of examples, ranging from Recyclebank to resurrecting the role of town crier, as fellow Tories lined up to praise the document.

The £89.5million budget, which includes a three per cent council tax reduction, was welcomed by the party at the gathering at Maidenhead Town Hall.

But opposition councillors, including Lynne Jones (Old Windsor Residents' Association), argued it might not be in the best interests of all residents.

The council anticipates £7.5million in savings can be made in 2013/14, without the need to cut frontline services.

It says the money will come from reducing inefficiencies and costs.

But Cllr Jones called for transparency in acknowledging the areas where services have been, or are expected to be reduced.

Adult services is one area where savings are anticipated for the coming financial year, to the tune of £1.5million.

An underspend of £1.4million is already predicted for the 2012/13 service budgets.

When it came to voting on the new budget, seven opposition councillors abstained.

They were Cllr Jones, Cllr Malcolm Beer (Independent), Cllr George Fussey (Lib Dem), Cllr John Fido (West Windsor Independent Group), Cllr Kathy Newbound (Lib Dem), Cllr Simon Werner (Lib Dem) and Cllr John Penfold (West Windsor Independent Group).

It will be implemented from March 11.