Today, budget proposals were unveiled by the UK's first Green-led council, opening an unprecedented three-month long period of public scrutiny before the budget is set in February 2012.
At an event in Hove Town Hall this morning, the Green administration of Brighton & Hove City Council presented its plans for ‘A Fair Budget for Tough Times' against a backdrop of exceptional funding cuts by the UK's Conservative-led Coalition Government.
The proposals seek to defend services for the most vulnerable men, women and children in the city from government cuts.
Among protected areas are: homelessness services, support for carers, and community and voluntary sector grants.
They have been drawn up after months of consultation with partner organisations, other political parties, the community and voluntary sector, union representatives and residents.
Leader of the council Bill Randall commented, "The first budget produced by the UK's first Green-led council: this is a fair budget for tough times.
"The Tory-led Coalition has imposed cuts of at least 33%, at source, in the funding we receive from central government for this council term.
"This is above the national average at a time when our obligations to those most in need are increasing.
"Nevertheless, in this draft budget we have honoured our manifesto pledge to protect services for the most vulnerable men, women and children in the city as far as possible.
"Many city organisations, the other political parties and more than 2,000 citizens accepted our invitation to take part in the conversation that has helped produce this draft budget, through meetings and social media.
"Their participation in drawing up these proposals is unprecedented in the city and in most other local authorities.
"However we are only half way through the conversation. We urge anyone who has not yet participated to give us their views."
Councillor Jason Kitcat, Cabinet Member for Finance & Central Services, added, "We are breaking with tradition by presenting two-year proposals so that the council can plan more effectively and to ensure that the focus isn't solely on short-term savings.
"Because of the Conservative-led government imposing huge cuts in our funding, we have had to make savings across the council.
"However we have been led by our Green values to make this budget as fair to residents as possible.
"In the draft proposals we are seeking to make as many savings as we can from joint working, improved contract management, exiting excess buildings and IT efficiencies.
"We have worked hard to keep job losses to a minimum while protecting frontline services.
"There have been difficult choices and we welcome residents' views on the current draft of the budget.
"By reviewing subsidies and fees, and proposing a below-inflation 3.5% tax increase, we will be able to protect key services including those for carers and homelessness prevention, and to maintain levels of adult social care.
"We have also been able to maintain levels of support for the community and voluntary sector."
Green proposals protect the following areas:
- We propose no reductions in support for carers nor any reductions for mental health provision. We want to see no changes in the eligibility criteria for adult social care, in contrast to Conservative-run West Sussex County Council which has removed support for those with ‘moderate needs'.
- In contrast to most councils, we plan to preserve youth services as a council amenity.
- Unlike Labour-led Hounslow Borough Council and Conservative-run Southampton City Council, we are seeking no reductions to staff terms and conditions in 2012/13. We are planning on consulting to simplify and consolidate our pay structures in 2013/14. We aim to resolve the web of complex, historic allowances, which make payroll difficult and result in pay disparities.
- Our commitment to a minimum, living wage of £7.19 per hour for council staff is protected.
- We are seeking no reductions in spend from the grant that prevents homelessness, and only small efficiency savings from the Supporting People budget.
* In contrast to Labour-led Lewisham Borough Council, which has slashed community grants, we propose no reductions to the council's main grants programme to the community and voluntary sector.
Key Green priority areas supported by re-prioritising existing budgets include:
- To support our ambition of creating a more equal city, we will use £300,000 of one-off money to institute a three-year grant programme supporting community groups and the third sector in providing youth services.
- We will allocate £50,000 in recurring money to support the Downland Initiative and tie it in with our newly in-sourced management of the council's downland property portfolio. This will help improve access to the South Downs and enhance biodiversity.
- We plan to set aside £500,000 in the 2013/14 budget to fund a food waste collection pilot in the city, pending the outcome of various funding bids which we hope will significantly contribute to the cost. This will help the city boost its currently low recycling rate.
- We will allocate £150,000 in recurring funds and £35,000 in one-off funds to the Council's sustainability team. This is to replace grant funding which is ending and to ensure the Council is able to meet its targets for reducing its footprint and providing a leadership role in the city on sustainable policy.
Notes
For more information please contact Brighton and Hove Green Party office on 01273 766 670.
* The draft budget sets out a savings target of £35m from the council's general fund over the next two financial years. It is proposed to meet this through a mix of savings and new income.
* The 2012/13 proposals have a gap of £0.3m yet to be identified; this is primarily due to the government's recently announced cut to feed in tariffs for solar panels, which affects the planned income from the council's installations of panels.
* A summary of the paper, mythbusters, Q&As and other supplementary documents can be found at this page.
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