Cuts needed to fund tax pledge

10:26am Monday 3rd March 2008

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Bexley's Tory council hopes to announce a council tax rise of just three per cent this week. But in a tough financial climate, something has got to give to balance the books.

THIS will be the first time in Bexley's history the council has announced back-to-back lower than inflation council tax rises.

But with a government settlement of just two per cent and inflation at four per cent, Bexley has been forced to cut spending by £6.071m to fulfil the Tories' election pledge.

The proposed budget went before the council's cabinet on February 25, and will be finalised by the council tonight.

At the cabinet meeting, corporate affairs cabinet member Councillor Colin Campbell described the 2008/9 budget as "brilliant".

Council leader Councillor Ian Clement said many people in the borough were struggling financially.

He said: "This is not about tough decisions. It is about making choices.

"The electorate made their choice when they elected us and now we are making their council financially fit for purpose."

Proposed spending cuts

PROPOSED spending cuts cover everything from home and day care for the elderly and vulnerable, and grants for items such as school uniforms, to ditching the Green Flag accreditation for parks and open spaces.

Among the savings in the area of health and adult social care are:

• £730,000 by reviewing the access criteria and allocation of community services such as home and day care;

• £350,000 by getting social care users to assess themselves for care.

It is also hoped to save up to £200,000 by dropping meals on wheels and getting users to order, pay and microwave their own freezer meals.

But cabinet member for health and social care Councillor Sharon Massey said Bexley was putting an extra eight per cent into health and adult social care in 2008/09.

Education and youth services hope to save nearly £1m on next year's spending.

This includes £50,000 on discretionary grants to help fund things such as schools trips and school uniforms and £53,000 by getting better value when finding placements for children who need social care.

There will also be more than £200,000 savings from reducing staff in areas such as children's social care and safeguarding.

But it could make £207,000 by insisting schools pay the full price for any council supplied services.

Cabinet member for schools Councillor Simon Windle said the savings in discretionary grants were still under consultation.

Community forums will lose their grants and will have to bid with others for cash.

Councillor Katie Perrior, community affairs cabinet member, said some forums were "not good enough" and if the council wanted to consult people on an issue, it would use the best group for the job.

She added: "In some areas this certainly will not be the community forum."

On the environment front, the out-of-hours noise service will be axed and the dog warden service outsourced.

There will be no more Green Flags in public parks and open spaces, which will also face reduced maintenance.

Weed killing on pavements and roads will be cut and funding for Operation Cubit, which removes abandoned cars, will be cut.

Also being reduced are the budgets for road safety and traffic schemes.

Sport and leisure provision is being cut, with less cash for new books and the loss of late-night opening at six libraries.

Bexley Heritage Trust, which runs Danson House, Welling; Hall Place, Bexley, and the museum service will see its budget slashed.

The grant for Bexley Arts Council is being cut and subsidies to sports clubs reduced.

Five handitills in libraries for people to pay their bills are being shut and charges will rise for virtually everything from sports facilities, social care, the BELL emergency system, parking and burials to planning applications.

Council staff may have to pay to park on council premises and have mileage allowances reduced. A number of job losses are also planned.

Even the mayor faces a budget cut.

A POLITICAL GAME?

A BID by Labour councillors to stop a rise in councillors' allowances backdated to April last year was dismissed by Tories as "a political game" at last week's council meeting.

Labour leader Councillor Chris Ball proposed the £20,800 back pay would equal the grants withdrawn from community forums.

He suggested the payments be frozen and future payments used for something else.

But corporate services cabinet member Councillor Colin Campbell said Bexley was already the meanest of London councils for allowances.

He said the increase was "modest" and should be paid.