Have your say on Teignbridge draft budget plans
Teignbridge is preparing to debate its budget plans and would welcome local comment as the council moves towards a final 2017/18 budget and looks further ahead to deal with different changes and challenges.
It’s asking residents to take part in an online survey with responses forming part of the budget-setting process before decisions are made on spending plans.
Draft plans include a 3.22% increase Teignbridge’s portion of council tax by £5, taking the average Band D price for district council services to £160.17.
Everything Teignbridge does is paid for by government grants, property income, fees and charges including car park charges, rents, business rates and council tax.
Currently Teignbridge spends £67.1M on providing services to 128,800 people this year across the district. The lion’s share of this, £37.6million, is spent on supporting people in need with benefits and reductions.
£6.7m is spent on bin collections, street cleansing, cleaning up fly-tipping and graffiti. £4.9M goes on running leisure centres, maintaining clean and safe parks and play areas, public loos and running award-winning resorts.
£6.2M goes on providing car parks, managing property and land, supporting the economy and planning services. £3.5M is used for helping people with housing and health needs including looking after homeless families.
Not only that, but Teignbridge puts aside money to make the district an even better place to live, work and visit. This is done by investing in big economic projects that create higher paid skilled jobs, well designed neighbourhoods and homes and protects the area’s heritage and environment.
Teignbridge, like many other councils, needs to find new ways of delivering its business because the Government is reducing one of the central funding streams – called revenue support grant - and by 2020 it will be gone completely.
It also considers the provisional settlement announcement from government on the income from New Homes Bonus which significantly affects district councils.
The combined effect of these changes means the money being received by Teignbridge next year is likely to be significantly reduced and in 2018/19 will be in the region of £550,000 less than expected.
Teignbridge is determined not to overburden the taxpayer and is proposing to make more savings in-house, adjust some fees and charges and find further more innovative ways of working.
Teignbridge has seized opportunities to make finances sustainable and positively shape the district and its people. Examples include buying Market Walk Shopping Centre in Newton Abbot and setting up a joint housing company.
Teignbridge has significantly reduced costs by reviewing its senior management team to make it even more efficient and effective with savings in the current year and ongoing.
A cross-party car parking review group has examined the pricing structure of car parks and put forward an improvement plan which will generate an income of £98,000, keep prices fair and consistent but also make best use of technology so it’s easier for people to use.
Cllr Stuart Barker, Teignbridge District Council’s Executive spokesman for corporate resources said:
“Teignbridge has responded well to the financial challenges over the last few years but the impact to districts councils of the proposed reforms to New Homes Bonus is worse than anticipated. We will await the outcome of any moderations to this in the final settlement expected in February.
“We want to set a budget that addresses the priorities and allows the council to continue planning for the future. You can help by giving us your feedback. All the information and views gathered will be taken into account when decisions are made about the final budget.”
Have your say by answering a survey at www.teignbridge.gov.uk/liveconsultations
Consultation ends on 1 February 2017.
The Executive meets on January 3 2017 to discuss the initial proposals and invite further comment and views. The agenda and report can be viewed at: www.teignbridge.gov.uk/executive
Overview and Scrutiny will also consider the plans at their budget meeting on January 9 2017. The final proposals will go before Executive on February 9 and Full Council on February 21.
