Efficiency measures in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead have saved £6 million over the past three years.

The savings have helped minimise council tax hikes, maintaining the proposed increase at a rate of 3.8 per cent. In Band D, for instance, annual council tax bills will rise £37 to £993.98 this year - £69 less than the average anticipated nationwide increase.

This achievement has been managed despite increased pressure on the borough’s purse strings, according to local councillor David Eglise, lead member for finance.

Government grant support is up only 1.4 per cent in cash terms in the past year, while the local authority’s inflation rate is over 4.5 per cent. Demand for its services is also increasingly on the up.

“We owe it to hard-pressed council taxpayers to make their money work to the limit and three years ago we started our concerted efficiency and improvement programme to make every penny count,” said Mr Eglise.

“So far we have achieved savings of more than £6 million, thanks to the wide range of initiatives to make the council a leaner, more efficient organisation, while at the same time maintaining quality services.”

In the past year, the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has saved £500,000 by reorganising council functions more effectively, cut school transport contract costs by £215,000 and shaved £700,000 off its home care procurement outlay.

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