CUMBERLAND Council is encouraging residents to have their say on its budget proposals for the next financial year.
The council began providing services on 1 April 2023, and this is the first opportunity it has had to fully shape its spending to meet its key priorities, having previously inherited the funding plans of the previous councils.
At their meeting today (15 December), Executive members reinstated their commitment to continue to provide excellent services which will be shaped by the ambitions outlined in the Cumberland Council Plan. This plan puts improving the health and wellbeing of residents at the heart of everything the council does. Addressing inequalities, delivering excellent services, ensuring the local economy works for local people, and improving the environment and tackling climate change are also key themes.
The council has already started delivering on these ambitions. It has, for instance, established several Community Panels giving local people a real say in their area. It has also invested extensively in the local road network, begun to tackle food inequality, and increased spending on anti-smoking initiatives.
This has all been achieved despite a challenging financial situation, which has seen cuts to government funding, high inflation rates, and increasing demand for some of its services especially adults and children’s services.
Writing in the consultation, Cllr Mark Fryer, Leader of the Council and Cllr Barbara Cannon, Executive member with responsibility for financial planning and assets, say: “This is our first opportunity to shape a budget which reflects the priorities in our Council Plan. Unfortunately, that budget will be set in an unprecedented financial climate for local government, with councils struggling up and down the country.”
To continue providing the services residents need, as well as secure a more sustainable financial footing, the council is developing a transformation plan. Respondents to the consultation are therefore asked their views on the options available to the council as part of that transformation. These include maximising income from fees and charges, further reducing the duplication of services and improving the customer service experience so that residents get their enquiry answered on their first contact alongside the roll-out of more self-service options.
Central to the council’s plans is also to make better use of technology, including artificial intelligence, and to reshape services so that they take a preventative approach to issues, rather than waiting until they become a larger and more expensive problem.
Council tax provides around 50% of the council’s net budget. To continue to provide the services residents need, the council is proposing a rise of 4.99% in its portion of council tax from 1 April 2024. This equates to a 2.99% rise in council tax with a further 2% rise for the Adult Social Care levy. This would see a band D bill rise by £86.35 a year, or £1.66 a week.
To help residents on low incomes the council will continue to provide the council tax reduction scheme. This can mean some residents who qualify not having to pay any council tax.
The 3,000 second homes in the Cumberland area puts an extra pressure on housing. The council is therefore also proposing a 100% council tax premium on second homes to double their bill from 1 April 2025. This will provide a further £5m to help fund services and help it tackle the affordable housing crisis.
Speaking on the consultation, Cllr Cannon, said: “I’d encourage everyone to have your say on our budget proposals. We fully understand the financial pressures which households currently face, and so we haven’t taken the decision to propose a rise in council tax lightly.
“However, the proposed rise is in line with the current rate of inflation, and without doing this we would need to make difficult decisions on what services would need to be cut – services which our residents rely on. Of course, we’ll also continue to support those most in need through our council tax reduction scheme and I’d encourage anyone who is facing financial difficulty to give our customer services team a ring to see what help is available to them.
“The extra fund from our proposals for council tax on second homes will also help us tackle the affordable housing issues in our area which is a major concern for many of our residents.
“The challenging financial position means that we cannot sit still, especially as we also want to continue to deliver on the ambitions and commitments in our Council Plan. Local government reorganisation has brought with it its own challenges, but there are opportunities too. Opportunities to bring services together and rethink how they are provided.
“That’s why our transformation plans set out how we are going to put the council on a more sustainable financial footing and take a more innovative approach to our services. I look forward to seeing the views of residents in the results of the consultation.”
Responses to the consultation can be made online. Residents can also get hard copies of the consultation from local libraries and through the council’s customer services team. The deadline for responses is 12 January 2024.
