The Green administration on Brighton & Hove City Council has modified its budget proposals to deal with Coaliton Government cuts in response to consultation feedback.The draft budget was published earlier and in greater detail than any budget previously, to allow an extensive consultation period.
For the first time the council produced a two-year budget to allow for long-term planning, new ‘carbon budgets' and the most extensive equality impact assessments yet.
This radical and unprecedented move meant everyone in the city had more information and time than ever before to contribute to the discussion.
Through social media, an online budget simulator, public meetings, a webcast chat, letters, petitions, councillors speaking with residents, and media debate, Greens have extensively engaged with residents and groups in the city
Councillor Bill Randall, Leader of the Council said, "We pledged to give residents a full and proper consultation. We kicked off the conversation, we listened and we have responded. Our thanks go to the residents who participated, making this the biggest budget conversation the city has seen".
"In response we are changing some of our proposals. Residents have spoken, in contrast to the dearth of meaningful proposals from the opposition parties. In a time of unnecessary austerity measures backed by the Conservative and Labour parties, we are proposing a fair budget"
The following changes have been made to the budget proposals:
* £160,000 is being put into the Music & Arts Service, reducing the originally proposed saving by three quarters. We will shortly publish the details of how Music and Arts will benefit.
* A number of public toilets will remain open, including those in Saunders Park & Vale Park.
* Charges for traders and business parking permits will be reduced from the originally proposed levels.
- Traders currently: £350, original proposed £750 - new proposed level £600;
- Business currently: £175, original proposed £400 - new proposed level £300.
* The parking tariff for the Eastern end of Madeira Drive will now be put into low price zone all year.
* Highways 2012/13 will receive an additional £30,000 to enable us to maintain lines and signs.
* City in Bloom will be provided £25,000 one-off transitional funding to help them reconfigure into a group with a sustainable, independent future.
* Shopmobility will be provided £29,000 one-off funding to help transition the service to a new funding model.
* The proposed £55,000 saving will no longer come out of the small grants fund in 2013/14, meaning help for many groups across the city that apply for small grants, often as seed funding to enable bigger projects.
The originally proposed £120,000 saving will no longer be taken from the Youth Employability Service in 2013/14.
* An additional £142,000 will be put into Children's Centres, reducing the level of saving required in 2013/14.
Councillor Jason Kitcat, Cabinet member for Finance & Central Services commented: "We had a genuine, open consultation on our budget.
"We have been able to make changes to the areas people told us they were particularly concerned about.
"We remain open to input from the community as we continue to work in the face of the huge cuts imposed on us by the government."
Notes
*Fuller details on each of these changes will be published in the coming days.
*Members of the Green administration will be available for interview today (Wednesday 18th January) and tomorrow (Thursday 19th January)
*The complete revised budget will be discussed at Cabinet on 9th February ahead of the full budget council meeting on 23rd February.
For further information please call Brighton and Hove Green Party office on 01273 766 670.
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