New Administration budget proposals announced

New budget proposals for 2019/2020 from the Liberal Democrat and Green Partnership have been published today and will be taken to July’s meeting of Full Council for approval.

If agreed by Council, the new budget proposals will act as a ‘mid-year’ budget to kick start new initiatives to improve the Council’s frontline services, to work with communities and support the new Administration’s ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. The budget will use contingency funding and an underspend from the current year, as outlined in the Council’s most recent Finance and Performance Report, enabling renewed focus on the services which matter to local residents.

The will also include investment in the Council’s frontline services, in order to tackle issues such as graffiti, working with communities, enhancing the environment and road repairs. Funding will also be used to support Children’s and Adult Social Care services, so the Council can continue to protect the most vulnerable in the city.

Key proposals include:

- £47K to tackle graffiti on private premises;
- £66K to create a Carbon Reduction and Sustainability Officer and capacity budget;
- £43K for new recycling, litter and dog waste bins;
- £250K to create a new Safer Communities Fund;
- £2 million for road maintenance, improvements to footways and investment in the city’s pedestrian and cycle infrastructure;
- £250K for new play equipment in new and existing play areas;
- £325K for Children’s Social Services
- £10K to ensure all care leavers in their first year of leaving do not pay council tax;
- £385K for Adult Social Care Services.

Councillor Keith Aspden, Liberal Democrat Leader of the Council, commented:

“Our new budget proposals have been designed to reflect this Administration’s priorities; increasing investment in the city’s frontline services, prioritising clean growth and ensuring those services which care for our most vulnerable remain supported.”

“This will include new investment to help tackle graffiti; £2 million to improve our roads and footways, and pedestrian and cycling infrastructure; a new £250,000 Safer Communities Fund to help improve working with our local neighbourhoods and over £700,000 to support services in Children’s and Adult Social Care.”

“Further work will now be carried out, including consultation with residents later in the year, for the next full budget process.”