Budget is hailed as a ‘masterpiece’

Bath & North East Somerset Council’s budget for 2019/20 has been celebrated as a “masterpiece” in difficult circumstances following its approval this week. Finance chief councillor Charles Gerrish said the proposals – which will see the average household pay it £53.23 more than it did this year – will care for the most vulnerable, protect key frontline services and help the authority become self-sufficient. That will take the payment for the average household to £1,401.12. Mr Gerrish was speaking at the full meeting of B&NES Council on Tuesday evening. He said:”despite the challenges we face, this is a budget that will deliver for Bath and North East Somerset. It’s a budget that prioritises our children, elderly and most vulnerable residents.” “We are proposing a level of council tax needed not only to balance out budget but also to sensibly invest in our long-term finan- cial sustainability. We will protect the majority of frontline services and provide additional investment into services for vulnerable residents. “We propose a 2.75 per cent increase in council tax, with a further one per cent for adult social services. This will still mean we have significant savings required for the 2020/21 budget. “I believe this proposal represents a balanced and prudent approach that delivers the investment needed in key areas.” Opposition leaders claimed services were being “cut to the bone” and called on the Conservative administration to go back to the drawing board, but council leader Tim Warren said they had failed to come up with any alternatives. B&NES Council needs to save another £8.9 million next year, after cutting £72.4 million over the past six years. The average band D property will pay an additional £39.76, up 2.95 per cent on 2018/19. Households will also pay another one per cent, equivalent to £13.47 for band D properties, which will be ringfenced for adult social care services. Councillor Mark Shelford described the budget as a “masterpiece” in the circumstances. But Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Dine Romero said: “Overall, this budget is cuts, cuts and more cuts. Residents are going to be paying far more for far less. “This is no longer a budget that simply cuts the fat – this now slices into the bone, the structures that support and protect the most vulnerable.” She claimed the cuts were ideologically driven and that adding more to council tax was not the way to address the funding crisis. Councillors from other parties also condemned the budget, with some calling for it to be refused. Mr Warren said: “It’s been tough and it still is tough. We can only play with what we’ve got. We can’t improve on this budget. “It’s easy to sit in opposition but I haven’t heard one alternative. There are no alternatives. We’re doing the best we can with what we have. “We promised to look after the most vulnerable. There were difficult decisions but we have made them.”