Have your say on next year’s budget proposals
CALDERDALE COUNCIL’S Cabinet has put its budget proposals for 2020-21 out to consultation.
Leader of the Council, Coun Tim Swift unveiled proposals which will include a 1.99 per cent rise in Council Tax – in line with the limit applied by the Government.
There will also be an additional two per cent precept, also green-lighted by Government, which will be added to the Council Tax to help pay for social care services for vulnerable adults and children.
Coun Swift (Lab, Town) said the council’s initial proposals for next year concentrated on protecting services which helped it deliver on long term aims and priorities for Calderdale, its communities and its citizens.
In order to help protect the most vulnerable, additional resources will be targeted on children’s social services and adult social care but at the same time the council will transform the way it provides services. Protecting and sustaining prevention and early intervention services where possible would avoid short term savings that only led to long-term increases in demand on services, he explained. Building on measures to help local people facing the effects of austerity, particularly the homeless or those facing destitution, tackling the climate emergency, improving supply of affordable housing and overhauling and improving youth services would all be key aims.
Coun Swift said savings, in addition to actions already being taken, include the council reducing contributions to its pension fund in recognition of need to protect front line services, accepting one-off Transport
Fund savings put forward by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, and replacing proposed council funding with Government funding announced for the purpose for Market Town improvements at Elland, Halifax, Sowerby Bridge, Todmorden and Brighouse. He said he welcomed any practical alternatives others might want to suggest to balance the books, with the four-week consultation period now under way and the council scheduled to set its budget for 2020-21 on Monday, February 24.
DECISIONS BEING MADE: www.halifaxcourier.co.uk