CONCERN was voiced at Waverley’s watchdog overview and scrutiny committee that the borough council was “not doing anything” about its projected £3.8m shortfall by 2023 in its 2019/20 budget.

Committee members on Tuesday were given the first opportunity to comment on Waverley’s proposed budget, before it goes to the executive committee and then to full council for final approval on February 5.

The proposals currently include protecting voluntary sector funding, investing in pavilions and playgrounds and an increase of 2.99 per cent in Waverley’s portion of council tax.

The increase in council tax – the maximum allowed by central government – is equivalent to a £5.20 increase over the year for an average Band D property.

The overview and scrutiny chairman, Farnham Residents councillor David Beaman, commended Waverley for a budget that did not affect community grants and the committee agreed to recommend the proposals to executive.

But members expressed concerns about agreeing the fees and charges without supporting information on what the charging decisions were based on, and called for a review to be conducted so they had full information.

Haslemere Tory councillor David Round said: “It’s really rather inappropriate to form a decision when we have no idea of the volume.

“I see the fee for the extermination of squirrels was around £113 but is now reduced to zero.

“To establish whether that’s okay, we need to know if there were no call-outs or 5,000.”

Members also queried if money from the New Homes Bonus should be used to boost Waverley’s property investment fund rather than to cover a budget shortfall.

Waverley’s strategic director Graeme Clark said because there was “no certainty” about income from the New Homes Bonus, and receipts had halved over the past few years, the council had agreed it was better not to rely on it to balance the budget, but use it to generate income.

Farnham Residents councillor Jerry Hyman said: “I know we’ve got a £3.8m shortfall and we are doing lots about it next year.

“Have we done enough this year?”

& Farnham Town Council is set to agree a 2.99 per cent increase in its precept for 2019/20 during tonight’s full council meeting, meaning the cost for a Band D household will rise to £64.49 per year.

Surrey County Council will also be proposing a 2.99 per cent increase to its precept, a rise of 81p a week for an average Band D property.

Surrey residents have until midnight on Monday to have their say on Police and Crime Commissioner David Munro’s proposed £2 a month increase in council tax, based on a Band D property, for an additional 100 police officers in Surrey. The survey is available at tinyurl.com/ybx8ty5b.