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Another big freeze on the way - council tax that is
A second successive year of no council tax rises is set to become a reality after Central Bedfordshire Council’s Executive agreed the budget for 2012/2013 on Tuesday.
The council will spend £179.2m on services ranging from children and adults’ social care to waste collection in the coming year, even though the continuing national economic difficulties mean that £11.3m of savings will have to be made. Executive also agreed £79.7m of capital spending for 2012/2013, forming part of the four year Capital Programme of investment in roads and street lighting, schools, care schemes and leisure projects.
Tuesday’s decisions mark the penultimate stage in setting the budget for 2012/13, as the Executive recommended the budget for approval by full council on Thursday, February 23.
Earlier in the budget process, through a survey carried out in the Autumn, residents had told the council that savings should be made from the back office and at no extra cost to the taxpayer.
Residents stated that investment was required to improve roads and transport, while services helping vulnerable people should be protected. The results of last year’s Big Library Debate also showed that residents value their local library extremely highly and feel they are key community focal points.
In order to meet residents’ expectations, Executive have agreed a budget which will see the council:
* Streamline management and administration, cut consultants and reduce the number of buildings the council works at;
* Renegotiate contracts in highways maintenance, energy, information technology, vehicle leasing and in leisure services – specifically at Dunstable and Tiddenfoot Leisure Centres and the Grove Theatre - to provide better value for money:
* Encourage residents to engage with the council through our new website by providing more online services and change the way face to face customer service is provided by moving to appointment systems and use of customer access points;
* Deliver services with a more commercial focus and trade some of our services to bring in income;
* Invest £37m in road maintenance over four years;
* Spend an additional £1.4m in social care for older people and an additional £1.7m on services for adults with disabilities;
* Invest in improving services that help people to live independently at home for longer, so reducing the use of residential care;
* Keep all libraries open and invest £850,000 in them over the next two years, to ensure libraries are modern, sustainable and meet the needs of future generations.
Cllr Maurice Jones, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Corporate Resources at Central Bedfordshire Council, said: “Throughout the whole budget process, we have been very clear that we do not want to put extra pressure on families’ budgets by raising council tax and our focus has been on ensuring that residents receive maximum value for money for the rates they do pay. We’ve proved over the last year that we can do this. We’ve remodelled the former costly music service into the viable ‘Inspiring Music’, which offers exciting musical opportunities in schools and the community.”
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Weather for Leighton Buzzard
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North east
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