SOME OF THE KEY CHANGES
A planned 1% cut in school funding is being withdrawn. Schools will receive an additional £4m to help towards supporting additional learning needs, increased pupil numbers, teacher pay and pension awards. When it comes to home to school/college transport, the council is planning to cut £150,000 over the next two years.
The council’s plans to stop providing CCTV services are on hold but it could happen in 2021-22 when a potential £300,000 cut is proposed.
The council’s original proposals would have seen services become reactive, meaning street cleaners would only deal with prioritised complaints about flytipping and bin-emptying rather than carry out regular cleaning. This is now on hold but it still could happen in 2021-22.
The council is looking at making cuts of £70,000 this coming year from leisure centres and swimming pools – it will be reviewing the number of facilities and will consider reductions in services or opening hours.
According to the budget proposals, the council plans to transfer its pitches and pavilions through its Community Asset Transfer scheme to sports clubs or organisations like town and community councils by May or June. The council has said it will increase charges by up to 500% for sports clubs who use facilities that have not transferred from September to achieve full cost recovery.
The council has earmarked £20,000 cuts from library and cultural facilities and related services with plans to review the numbers of libraries and community centres. There could also be reductions in services or opening hours.
There are plans to remodel day service provision for older people and learning disability services with £180,000 cuts planned over the next two years.
Reviews of staffing structures across adults and children services are planned with cuts totalling £375,000 over the next two years. The council warns there will be staff cuts leading to reduced capacity within teams across the directorate.
Events like the Classic
Car Show and Wartime Bridgend appear to be safe with the council no longer due to cut its funding in the coming year.
The council had proposed to cut its £40,000 strategic event fund, half of which goes on providing support services for the Elvis festival in Porthcawl like street cleaning, road closures and portable toilets. These cuts are now on hold.
Funding of £35,000 for the Bridgend Business Forum could end within the next two years.
Berth fees at Porthcawl Marina could increase. The council said it wants to see the marina run on a full cost recovery basis. It wants to cut its entire £25,000 budget for the marina over the coming year.