Consultation begins on Telford & Wrekin budget and Council tax options
Telford & Wrekin Council has today begun its consultation on its proposals for £20 million of savings next year as it seeks to bridge a funding gap totalling of £40 million by 2014.
The Council’s budget proposals follow unprecedented cuts in Government grants between 2011 and 2014, while costs Telford & Wrekin Council has to meet continue to rise due to inflation at near five per cent and increased demands placed on some services.
The consultation will seek people’s views on its budget proposals and ask residents if they want to accept a government grant to freeze council tax or increase council tax next year to prevent even bigger rises or deeper service cuts the following years.
The Council’s budget proposals were backed by the Cabinet last night and are out to consultation until January 31.
These propose a series of cuts to services to help the Council meet the savings that it must find, while protecting as far as possible front line services through further cuts to senior management, better procurement and more efficient ways of working.
Next year the Council plans to make almost £8.6 million savings from services and saving a total of £17.6 million from services over the next three years. This is on top of a restructuring programme to reduce its staff costs by 20 per cent, saving a further £16.7 million.
A full list of the budget savings proposals together with ways that people can contribute to the consultation can be seen at www.telford.gov.uk/budget.
Residents are also being asked their views on three options for council tax. Telford & Wrekin’s council tax is currently the lowest in the Midlands for equivalent services.
Option 1
Accept the Government’s grant and freeze council tax next year. This one year grant is equivalent to a 2.5% rise in council tax. The Council says taking it will store up future problems, adding an extra £1.4 million to the budget shortfall in 2012/13 and forcing even bigger rises in council tax or deeper cuts to services the following year.
Option 2
Decline the one off grant and increase council tax by 41p per week (2.5%) for the average property next year to avoid additional service cuts or a higher council tax rises in 2013/14
Option 3
Decline the one off grant and increase tax by 58p per week (3.5%) next year for the average property and then either remove some of the proposed service cuts or reduce the council tax rise in 2013/14
Residents can get involved in the consultation in the following ways
· Completing the Council’s budget survey at www.telford.gov.uk/budgetsurvey
Copies are also available at local libraries or First Point in Civic Offices near the town centre, or request a copy (or copies ) of the survey by phoning 01952 382131.
· Writing to the Council at Freepost RRAX – TLKS – UZSS, Community Engagement, Equalities & Action Team, Telford & Wrekin Council, Coach Central, Telford, TF3 4HD
· Emailing views to yourviewsmatter@telford.gov.uk
· Calling the Council’s budget comments line on 01952 382131 and leave your views.
Texting views to 07797873893. Messages sent via this service will cost your usual network rate per message and are anonymous unless you put your name in the message.
The Council will also host a public consultation event on Tuesday 17 January from 6pm to 7.30pm at Civic Offices, where people can visit a number of information stands to find out more and give their views and ideas..
Anyone wanting to come to this event can book a place by contacting the Community Engagement Team on 01952 382131 or by email to yourviewsmatter@telford.gov.uk
Cllr Bill McClements, cabinet member for Resources and Service Delivery, said: “Given the very severe cuts in government grants and the level of savings we face, it is inevitable that there will be cuts to some services.
“Our proposals seek to make savings that protect vital services but we must be clear that there are no easy fixes.
“As an authority with one of the lowest cost bases and the lowest council tax in the region, the scope for us to find savings without affecting services is ever harder, particularly considering that we will have halved our senior management saving £2.1m a year and our savings in staff costs will reach £16.7 million.
“I urge everyone in the borough to ensure that they get involved in the consultation and give us their views over the coming month on the budget proposals and our options for council tax next year.”
