Proposals for Bath & North East Somerset Council’s 2012/13 budget that would freeze Council Tax and protect frontline priority public services will be discussed by the Cabinet on 8th February 2012. They also offer significant investment for communities that will benefit local people.
Balancing the Council budget has proved extremely challenging through a combination of the Government’s reductions in grants to local councils, increased demand for services, new legislation, and high inflation.
Councillor David Bellotti (Lib-Dem, Lyncombe), Cabinet Member for Community Resources, said, “Due to our sensible financial management and living within our means by consistently delivering balanced budgets, making significant back office and procurement efficiency savings, and reducing our borrowings, Bath & North East Somerset Council can protect frontline, quality priority public services and freeze Council Tax. This compares well in contrast to other councils who are already making deep cuts to frontline services to balance their budgets.
“Amongst our proposals, weekly bin collections will remain and we will prioritise our services for the most vulnerable people and communities in society. For example, care services will continue to be provided to the existing high standards of care.
“Because the Council has been prudent with its finances, we are able to propose investment to create neighbourhoods where people feel proud to live and help build a stronger economy. Community improvements and sustainable infrastructure are necessary to sustain the 8,700 new jobs and 11,000 new homes that will be created up to 2026.”
The Council has needed to deliver a substantial reduction in its spending. The majority of which has been achieved through efficiency savings, such as improved procurement and other back office savings. Reductions in frontline services have been kept to a minimal level of £1.2 million – 0.5% of our current budget. 90% of the savings we need to make have been made through ways other than service cuts.
Listening to local communities
The Cabinet have listened to local communities and to councillors on the Policy Development and Scrutiny Panels in order to guide its proposed investment priorities for future years in line with the Council’s visions and values. An investment package will help stimulate economic growth, improve the public realm and local infrastructure, and further enhance school buildings for people.
Creating neighbourhoods where people are proud to live
- £1.2 million over the next three years to help ensure there are decent affordable homes in the private and social sector;
- £2 million over two years to replace street lights coming to the end of their life with LED lights reduce dependence on high carbon energy, cut our bills, and improve visibility for drivers;
- £2.44 million to permanently restore Victoria Bridge given its significant heritage value and so that people are able to travel around Bath easily using sustainable methods of transport;
- £172,000 to relocate Paulton Library to improve the services available and support local people to develop their skills and use them to improve their community;
- Nearly £1.6 million from a cycling grant and developer contributions to overhaul facilities at Odd Down Playing Fields to improve opportunities to participate in sports and leisure activities;
- £500,000 to implement 20 mph zones in appropriate streets and improve pedestrian, cyclist and motorist safety;
- £100,000 to improve safety along the River Avon in response to the RoSPA report.
- Increasing the commitment to clean streets and open spaces by £22,000 which will help increase frontline staffing.
Promoting independence and positive lives for everyone
- Over £7.5 million to improve the quality of our school buildings. This is in addition to projects already underway at Weston All Saints Primary School, Wellsway Sports Hall, Ralph Allen Applied Learning Centre, and Oldfield School;
- An extra £520,000 in 2012/13 to manage the increase in the elderly population to support people to live independently;
- An extra £200,000 in 2012/13 to for services that cover care placement and support young care leavers to help vulnerable children and young people enjoy their childhood and prepare for adult life;
Building a stronger economy
- Over £81.5 million over the coming years into economic regeneration projects to support a broad range of employment opportunities for local people, deliver key development sites to increase the number of local businesses, provide new homes, and help create a sustainable low carbon economy. These projects are:
i) Regeneration of Keynsham town centre;
ii) Bath City Riverside and development of its Enterprise Area;
iii) Regeneration of Radstock town Centre;
iv) Bath Transportation Package.
v) Public realm improvements in Bath city centre;
vi) A Creative Hub for the digital, knowledge and creative industries;
- £4.8 million in 2012/13 on highways maintenance to ensure the quality of the highways network is maintained or enhanced;
- £500,000 to restore the Beechen Cliff Woodland above the cliff and maintain it to a suitable standard. This will help reduce on-going maintenance liabilities;
- £475,000 to help secure broadband access for all in the area by 2015 with almost nine out of ten enjoying superfast speeds of up to 20 Mbps;
- £1.8 million to improve the road network at Rossiter Road to reduce traffic congestion and pollution;
- Freezing all parking charges in 2012/13, retaining free parking in all other Council car parks, and holding Park and Ride fares in recognition of the tough trading environment for traders and squeeze on motorists’ incomes;
Increasing our efficiency
The Chancellor has made clear the pressures on public sector budgets will be sustained beyond the existing Comprehensive Spending Review period (2014/15). In preparation for future Council budgets after 2012/13 there will be the need for even greater prioritisation and redesign of services in response to the Government’s strategy to tackle the national economic crisis.
The Council will aim to mitigate the impact on priority frontline services by freeing-up money through simplifying our systems and sharing services, using office space more efficiently, better procurement, and improving the way we do things. The organisation has a strong track record of delivering financial efficiencies over recent years. For example:
- Better procurement has saved over £1.5 million in the past 18 months;
- The amount of office space we are using is reducing – the closure of Plymouth House and Trimbridge House has already saved £1 million;
- The recent transfer of social care staff to Sirona Care and Health will deliver annual savings for the Council of £1.9 million by year five of the contract period.