Month: December 2020
Have your say: Council launches 2021/22 budget consultation
Consultation will hear views on the proposed budget, Council Tax and supporting vulnerable residents
Herefordshire Council is consulting on its budget, Council Tax and savings plan for 2021/22.
The council is consulting on three areas:
The council budget and savings programme
Council Tax rates and the Social Care precept
Support for vulnerable residents
Council budget and savings programme
Herefordshire Council is predicting a worst case scenario budget gap of up to £16 million in the next financial year. The Covid-19 pandemic has caused uncertainty which has made it difficult to anticipate how much funding the council will receive from central government, Council Tax and Business Rates in future years.
The council must prepare to make savings in some services so that a balanced budget can be delivered for 2021/2022.
Council Tax rates and the Social Care precept
The budget assumes a total Council Tax increase of 4.99%. This would be made from an increase of 1.99% to core Council Tax which would contribute £2.2 million towards council services. A social care precept of 3% would contribute a further £3.2 million to be used on social care services.
Support for vulnerable residents
The council is consulting on two ideas to support vulnerable residents. Firstly, whether residents would be willing to pay more Council Tax if the increase helped residents on low incomes. Secondly, whether residents would support the introduction of a voluntary Community Contribution Scheme to provide additional funding to support vulnerable residents.
Councillor Liz Harvey, Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services said:
“The Covid-19 pandemic has shown just how important council services are to our communities, but it has also had a significant impact on how we balance our budget. We have had to make sensible assumptions for next year’s proposed budget because decisions about the level of central government funding have been delayed.
“We are committed to balancing our budget while continuing to efficiently deliver the services that our communities need and rely on. This is why it is more important than ever to share your views on our proposed budget. We want you to tell us how to get value for every pound we spend, and how we can continue to support all residents and the vulnerable in our community as we plan for the future.”
This is your chance to comment on the council’s priorities, Council Tax and proposals to support vulnerable residents. Have your say by midnight Friday 8 January 2021. The received feedback will be considered by full Council on 12 February 2021.
Cabinet identifies its preferred approach for travel and transport in Hereford
Following discussion on future options for travel and transport in Hereford at a meeting on Thursday 3 December, Cabinet members have decided that their preferred approach includes the introduction of measures that provide an alternative to car use including improved facilities for walkers and cyclists and enhanced bus services, along with an additional river crossing to the east of the City.
Cabinet has also decided to recommend to full council that the Hereford western bypass and Southern link road projects are stopped.
The recommendations follow the outcome of a detailed review of the transport strategy for Hereford. The Hereford Transport Strategy Review, which was launched in January 2020, set out to better understand existing and future transport conditions in the City, and to assess alternative options particularly in light of the declared climate emergency and changes to national transport policy.
Cabinet decided its preferred approach for Hereford would include:
- Active travel measures: Walking and cycling, safer routes to school, low traffic neighbourhoods, behavioural change campaign, transport sharing schemes and mobility hubs
- Bus improvements: electrification of the urban bus fleet, school bus services, demand responsive bus services and bus priority measures
- Car park management proposals
- Eastern link river crossing from Rotherwas to Ledbury Road
Further reports are due to be considered by cabinet and full council in January 2021.
The Cabinet meeting papers are available on the council website: http://councillors.herefordshire.gov.uk