John Hart, leader of Devon County Council writes for this title.

The budget the county council put to bed last week is my 15th as leader.

This time last year I described the budget we had just passed as the most difficult one of all.

Things, unfortunately, don’t get any easier. But the work we did making savings and streamlining our operations to prepare for the 23/24 budget has continued to pay dividends for our 24/25 budget as has the reduction in inflation by over half.

So I was very pleased that Devon's director of finance was able to certify - as she's required to do by law - that it is both robust and deliverable and we are living within our means.

It is a well-constructed budget increasing expenditure for adults and children and looking after the old, the young and the vulnerable who account for almost four fifths of our total spending.

Our revenue spending next year will rise by an overall 6.3 per cent from almost £700 million to £743 million.

There will also be a £172.5 million capital budget for investment in infrastructure such as roads and schools with more than £484 million invested in Devon over the next five years. 

Within the revenue budget, there will be increases of 10.4 per cent on children's services and six per cent on adult services to keep up with the rocketing demand for our help and there is with an extra 4.7 per cent on climate change, environment and transport.

Between setting the target budget early in January and finalising it last week, we have also allocated an extra £1.5 million to regular road drainage work to try to prevent more potholes forming. This winter's spells of torrential rain have meant ditches filling up and spilling over onto the road surfaces creating more problems than usual. We've also topped up the cash we give to district councils and organisations working with the homeless by £716,000 to £1.45 million. 

All of this comes at a cost to you as council taxpayers, I'm afraid. Every year we have to strike a balance between an ever-increasing demand for our services, which requires more expenditure, and levying a council tax which is fair and just. This budget also includes savings of £49.6 million so you can be sure we have done our utmost to ensure we get the best value for every pound of yours we spend, cut out wastage and embraced new ways of working and technology that will reduce costs. We are also reducing staff numbers.

We've consulted with the unions, business, representatives of older people as well as voluntary and community groups and the budget has been examined by our all-party scrutiny committees.

Our council tax increase for general services will be 2.99 per cent and we have decided to take up the Government's offer of levying another two per cent to help pay for adult care.

That 4.99 per cent equates to an extra £81.54 increase on the average Band D house or £1.56 more a week. To put it in some sort of context, my Sunday newspaper now costs me £4.

Devon County Council provides services to around 800,000 people with 79 per cent of our budget spent on supporting the young, the old and the vulnerable.

You may ask why we have agreed any increase at all. Unlike national Government, which can borrow to finance current spending, we have to set a balanced budget by law. So we have to strike a careful balance between making cuts to our services and asking you to pay more. I believe we have got the balance right in what has been another difficult year.