A presentation will be given as part of the Council’s budget consultation process for the 2016/2017 Budget.
Minutes:
The Leader of the Council (Councillor Mike Connolly) and the Chief Executive (Mike Owen) gave a presentation on the 2016/2017 Council Budget.
Councillor Connolly outlined the position the Council faces over the next four years. The Government has indicated that the settlement the Council will receive will be reduced and working on from this it is important for the residents of Bury to recognise this. It is also noted that the public’s demands and expectations of the Council will continue to increase. In order to meet these expectations the Council and in particular its employees will need to work differently in the future.
It was reported that for 2016/17, there would be an estimated cut of £11.6 million from the Councils budgets due to a reduction in core funding of which was to be in the region of 10.75%. Funding over the next four years was estimated to be cut by more than 30%.
Since 2010 the Council has lost £54 million of funding for services and will need to prioritise services covering its legal obligations and its priorities set out in the “Vision, Purpose & Values” document. The Council priorities for Bury are to look after the vulnerable; promote a strong local economy and be a good place to live and invest.
The Council was in the process of holding a consultation with all residents to seek views and suggestions on what was important in view of the cuts to be made. The deadline for input is 9 February 2016 with the Council meeting to set a budget for 2016/17 on 24 February.
Councillor Connolly also drew attention to the positives of Bury including the high standards of High School education and adult care services. In particular it was noted that public sector staff had provided excellent standards of service to Bury residents during the recent flooding over the Christmas period. Many members of staff had come into work during their leave to work many hours, without pay, to ensure Bury and its residents were made safe.
Bury residents were also being asked to help tackle the challenges the Council faced ahead which included a renegotiation of the ‘contract’ on standards of service that in the future would not be of the standard currently enjoyed.
Residents were invited to submit their suggestions for the budget and were welcome to ring, email the Council or if they see him around Bury, speak face to face with the Leader.
The Chair invited questions.
How will people be contacted about the consultation process? Members of organisations will take back the message from this meeting but there are sections of the local community that are not directly represented.
The Council will use different methods to reach as many members of the public as possible, such as local press, online and through local organisations.
Who decides what cuts are made?
Your local councillors will make the decisions. This will be done by going through the feedback of Bury residents and the priorities that have been highlighted. The budget will then be decided on 24 February at the Budget Council.
What is the collection percentage of Council tax?
The Council has a 99.5% collection rate which is the second highest in Greater Manchester.
What impact has the flooding had on business rates collection?
It is difficult to identify the impact at this point. There has been damage to local infrastructure and the Council is trying to recover costs from the Government but is using finance reserves in the mean time.
Will there be a rise in Council Tax this year?
The decisions on the budget will be made on 24 February 2015.
What proposals are in place for derelict sites on St Peters Road, the business park at Pilsworth and the former Millwood School site? These are opportunities for development and would produce finance for the Council through business rates.
It was reported that the former Millwood School site is to be marketed for sale. The Council is in negotiation with the owner of the Pilsworth site on future usage. The development of St Peters Road site is being considered on the same lines as the development of Red Bank.
The Leader of the Council and Chief Executive were thanked for their attendance.