Halton looking for more savings
HALTON Council is gearing up to find extra savings as finance chiefs grapple with an anticipated ‘significant’ budget overspend for 2017-18.
Cllr Rob Polhill, leader of the local authority, said central Government cuts now mean funding per resident has been cut by £446.
This equates to £58m a year slashed from the council’s coffers.
In December, a Full Council session was informed that £22m of savings are required in the next three years, £5.6m of that will be in 2018-19.
As part of efforts to plug the shortfall, a proposed council tax increase of 1.9% has been tabled alongside a 3% social care precept rise, totalling 4.9%.
The amount is below the maximum 5.9% permitted by the Government rules.
Halton Council’s proposed savings for the next two years have been outlined as being top heavy with the vast majority coming in 2018-19.
Actions included to cut costs range from not filling vacant positions such as for business analysts and five benefits officers, to contract re-procurements and increasing the garden waste charge.
Local area forum funding will also be slashed by £50,000.
Cllr Polhill has outlined a time table of when residents can find out more as details become available.
He said: “Initial budget proposals for 2018-19 were published and considered by executive board on November 16, which they recommended for approval by council at its meeting on December 6.
“The report outlined the council’s overall financial position and the significant scale of the reductions which would be required in order to deliver a balanced budget for 2018-19, whilst continuing to protect as far as possible those services provided to the most vulnerable residents in the borough.
“It also highlighted that £22m of budget savings will be required over the coming three years.
“The December 6 report can be found on the council’s website.
“A further report will be published and considered by the executive board on February 22, setting out additional savings needed to deliver a balanced budget.
“The board will make recom- mendations to council for its meeting on March 7, including a recommendation regarding the level of council tax required.
“As you’ll be aware the council has suffered severe reductions in Government grant funding of over £58m since 2010, which equates to £466 per head of population.
“This comes at a time when the demand for council services and the associated cost of those services is increasing, particularly in respect of children’s services and adult social care.
“As a result of these exceptional pressures, the council’s 2017-18 budget is also expected to be significantly overspent by March 31.” ●