Time running out to give views on Telford & Wrekin Council budget proposals
People in Telford and Wrekin have just ten days left to give their views on Telford & Wrekin Council’s budget proposals for £20 million of savings next year.
The Council’s budget proposals are open for consultation until 31 January and since launching just before Christmas more than 1,900 people have already given their views.
The 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 Council is seeking to bridge a funding gap totalling £40 million by 2014.
Already nearly 2,000 responses have been received by the Council from people providing their views on the budget, and with the closing date fro responses of 31 January looming, it is hoped that many more people will take part.
The consultation seeks people’s views on savings proposals and asks 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 consultation also proposes 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
· Complete the survey in Your Voice, the publication which have been delivered to households over the past two weeks
· 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.
Cllr Bill McClements, cabinet member for Resources and Service Delivery, said: “I am pleased to hear that we have received more than double the responses to last year, but we have many more people in the borough that this budget impacts upon and I would urge everyone get involved and give us your views on the budget proposals and our options for council tax next year.”
