Harlow Council sets zero increase in Council Tax to put
residents first
Harlow Council has set a budget for 2010/11,
which will cost residents no more in Council Tax and safeguards
popular front line services, despite the credit crunch still
hitting public finances hard.
The Council’s budget for 2010/11 was agreed
last night (11 February 2010) at its Full Council meeting. The
budget and the Council’s future financial planning are linked to
the Council’s new priorities, which were also agreed at the same
meeting.
Harlow Council is one of only two councils in
Essex not to increase their Council Tax for 2010/11 and one of only
a few in the whole country.
For the next financial year, the Council needs
to make up a shortfall of £1.7million. This shortfall is due to a
number of factors outside the Council’s control with the recession
having a major effect. The Council only received a 0.5% increase
(£44,295) in its grant aid from Government in the form of the
Revenue Support Grant.
The Council has safeguarded front line services such as the
Playhouse, the Museum of Harlow, The Leah Manning Centre, Parndon
Wood Nature Reserve, Pets’ Corner and paddling pools. In some cases
the budget will enhance these services. The budget also sees
investment moved from some areas of work into the new
priorities.
Twenty thousand pounds will be allocated to extend the Playhouse
pantomime season, which hit record levels this year despite the
recession. Seven thousand pounds will be used to re-open and
improve toilets near Pets’ Corner in the Town Park. More money will
be put into emptying new dog waste bins. Bookable nappy
collections, introduced as part of the new waste collections, will
also be extended to meet demand. Money will also be spent to
continue improving recycling levels.
Around £570,000 of efficiency savings, which
exceed Government targets, will be made. There will be around 14
jobs that are no longer required. However, 8 new posts will be
created and a further 10 posts are currently vacant. Every effort
will be made to provide re-deployment opportunities to minimise the
number of compulsory redundancies.
Bulky waste collections, as part of estate clean-ups, will cease
but extra resources will be put into the street cleaning programme
and dealing with flytipping. Support to the Council’s Social Club
will be withdrawn and the Council will be seeking a private company
to continue the successful operation of the town show. There will
be some funding reductions like reducing grants to voluntary
organisations.
A number of initiatives to improve service provision and choices
for residents will come into effect on 1 April 2010. A new
fortnightly green waste service will be offered for an annual fee.
A bookable service will remain but with a 59p per sack charge. A
charge will be introduced for the quick collection of bulky items
(heavy squad) with the service offered free for a longer collection
time. A number of fees and charges will increase.
Councillor Andrew Johnson, Leader of the Council, said: “This
budget really puts residents’ first. It safeguards the front line
services they treasure like the Playhouse and Pets’ Corner. It
won’t cost residents anymore in Council Tax for Harlow Council
services and it puts investment into high priority areas.
“We are doing what we can to support residents during these
difficult times and what better way than to not increase our share
of Council Tax. We are working hard to provide better value for
money and better services and this budget shows how committed we
also are to that.”
Councillor Simon Carter, Chairman of the Council’s Policy &
Resources Committee, said: “The finances of all Councils are
affected by the recession with some Councils having to make some
very difficult and unpopular decisions. Despite the pressures we
face, our budget will cost residents no more and help improve the
services they value. Our budget also strengthens the Council’s
financial position by putting money back into our reserves, to
protect services in the future.
“Most Councils will be increasing their share of Council Tax. We
are one of only two councils in Essex with a nil Council Tax
increase for 2010/11and one of only a few in the whole country.
“We are only just getting out of the recession but these financial
pressures remain. Around of third of savings will be made through
smarter and better ways of working without directly impacting on
front line services.”
Talking about the non-housing capital programme for 2010/11,
Councillor Carter, said: “The Council has had to focus hard on its
key priorities following the economic downturn which has eroded the
availability of capital receipts. We are anxious not to borrow our
way out of recession and are keen to repay any temporary borrowing
next year which proved essential to help us through the downturn.
We will be spending £2m on our non housing assets, which range from
shops and offices let to the public to flood protection and work to
improved disabled access.”
Although Harlow Council collects Council Tax, it only receives a
proportion of the amount taken. Proportions also go to Essex County
Council, the Essex Police Authority and Essex Fire Authority. As
yet, the overall figure for the Council Tax increase in Harlow
cannot be set as figures are still awaited from some other
authorities.
A copy of the budget reports can be viewed by
following this link:
Policy & Resources Committee
Reports
The Council’s key priorities in the new Corporate Plan (2010-11
to 2014-15) are as follows:
- Regenerating the Town
- Promoting enterprise
- Promoting a clean, green, healthy and
safe environment
- Tackling housing need and improving
housing choice
- Developing good citizenship through promoting aspiration and
enabling responsibility
- Providing value for money