Babergh District Council: 2013/14 budget and beyond: “difficult but without integration and transformation would have been bleaker”
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Facing years of severe cut backs in spite of being one half of a successful and innovative partnership with its neighbour, Babergh District Council’s Strategy Committee will on January 17 be taking the first steps in the budget setting process for next year. The context for this is the further big reductions in Government funding that have been announced for the next two years, with more to come, probably up to 2018. This will continue to make the Council’s financial challenge very difficult. Further significant savings will be needed, despite having already made savings of nearly £5m over the last four years and being on target to deliver at least £2m a year savings from integrating staffing structures and service delivery with Mid Suffolk District Council by 2015/16. Rural district councils have, once again, fared badly in bearing the brunt of Government funding cuts, with Babergh suffering a further 6% funding reduction in 2013/14 and an indication that there will be a further cut of nearly 13% in 2014/15. Babergh’s officers and councillors are lobbying the Government very strongly to look again at this situation - as these additional reductions mean that the Council has suffered a total cut of 44% over 4 years - equivalent to a loss of income of over £2m a year. All of this means that, in conjunction with these plans, Babergh are reviewing all of its costs, adopting a ‘Zero Based’ approach to future Budgets and fundamentally reviewing how we provide services. This will include looking again at the cost of providing and managing car parking in the district as the Council will need to consider and decide on a clear way of removing or reducing this cost in relation to future budgets. This will be done alongside developing our overall strategic plans and financial strategy during 2013 and in time for setting the 2014/15 Budget. In the short-term and for 2013/14, by finding yet further savings of £1.5m and reducing costs again next year, the Council will be able to achieve a balanced budget for the year and freeze Council Tax, as we want to help our residents as much as possible in these difficult times. There is also the additional money we are receiving called the New Homes Bonus and that will be used to support Growth, Economic Generation and our strategic priorities. 2013/14 will, therefore, be very much a transitional year with the Budget being realigned and resources reallocated to meet the Council’s strategic priorities going forward. Cllr. Jennie Jenkins, Chairman of Babergh’s Strategy Committee said “things are bad and Babergh’s councillors are faced with making tough choices arising out of financial circumstances not of their making. “However, were it not for the savings already achieved and projected to be realised in future years because of our integration and transformation with Mid Suffolk, then a difficult situation would have been a truly bleak one. “Our integration and transformation plans are therefore vital to how this Council will be operate in achieving the outcomes our communities want – even in a time of austerity”. Final decisions on the 2013/14 Babergh budget will be made towards the end of February. BILDESTON BOWLS CLUB PRESENTS
A Night At The Races On Saturday 23rd February 2013 At Chamberlin Hall, Bildeston Come and experience the thrill of 7 action packed races (Including Auction Race) on the big screen Turnstiles Open At 7.30pm, with The First Race at 8.00pm Tickets £8.00 (Including Food) Race Sponsorship Available At £25 And Horses £4
For Tickets And Sponsorship Contact Adrian on (01449) 741253 or David on (01449) 674661
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