We believe that Bexley should be the best place to live, work and raise a family and we're investing in the services that matter to our residents to make that happen.

Every year our Council staff work to deliver vital services to more than 250,000 residents in our Borough. This includes ensuring bins are collected, our streets are clean, our roads are safe and those in need of support with social care and special educational needs and disabilities receive the care they need.

In the past year, for example, we have collected 99.9% of bins correctly out of a million bins per month, invested nearly £0.5 million in updating our CCTV system, created an extra 140 secondary school places for children with SEND through expansion of Shenstone School, delivered 478 new jobs for Bexley residents and supported many residents facing challenges posed by the cost of living. Because of the investment we've put into repairing our roads and potholes - fixing 2,500 potholes a year and resurfacing and restructuring sizes of roads - the condition of our highways is rated by government scoring as being amongst the best in the country.

Our parks and open spaces win awards and some of our services are rated among the best in the country.

Of course, we always recognise there is more to do, which is why we have ambitious plans to invest more into the services that matter to residents in our Budget for 2026/27 and our medium term financial plans covering the next four years.

We will be investing:

• £30m on improving our roads and pavements and fixing potholes
• more than £5m extra next year for Adult Social Care placements
• over £14m each year for those facing hardship through the Council Tax Reduction Scheme
• nearly £8m for prevention of homelessness per annum
• £11m to provide travel assistance to growing numbers of children and young people with SEND
• £2.5m for playground improvements
• £2m to improve local libraries
• £1m for community centres

In total, the Council will be spending in revenue and capital an average of about £2m per day throughout the year ahead.

We're investing more in services despite the fact that the Government is cutting the cash grants it gives to Bexley, leaving us worse off. In fact, if Bexley received the same level of cash grants per person as the London average, we'd have over £200m more in cash. The Council is committed to protecting the services residents rely on. We remain on the side of our communities as national funding cuts increase pressure, and we continue to work hard to manage costs to support residents effectively.

Like all councils and businesses, we face rising costs and demands, including in services like social care where we have statutory responsibilities to support, protect and safeguard the most vulnerable. Our population is growing and costs have been rising – for example through the Government’s decision to increase employers’ National Insurance Contributions.

Yet while many councils are having to seek exceptional financial support because they are on the brink of bankruptcy or raise council tax above the referendum limit, Bexley’s efficiency and track record of sound financial management mean we can balance our books and invest more in the local services that matter to our residents. In fact, Bexley is recognised as being one of the most efficient councils in the country, meaning we provide excellent value for money with high-quality services provided at lower costs than most other councils. We know how hard our residents work and that's why we are committed to spending taxpayers’ money carefully and wisely.

Whatever challenges we face, we will always aim to do the best for our Borough and the people who live here. We continue to work hard to provide the best possible value for money, while improving our services in line with the aspirations and ambitions of our residents, and supporting those who need it most. We'll keep on standing up for our Great Borough and making Bexley even better.