Budget Update
More than £670,000 of savings were agreed by councillors yesterday, bringing the total savings for the 2020/21 budget so far to £2.4 million. There was a predicted shortfall of £7.9 million but, taking into account the latest measures agreed by councillors, and the £0.5 million savings predicted from the improvement and modernisation programme, this now leaves an anticipated shortfall of £5 million, which we expect to take from reserves.
Yesterday councillors agreed the following savings:
- Close 14 public toilets on 30 September 2020
- Remove a housing information officer post
- Reduce staffing in housing central admin through restructure
- Formalise the interim arrangements for the management of cleaning and catering
- Reduce the street lighting maintenance budget
- Reduce vehicle fuel consumption by 5%
- Increase car parking income
- Merge traffic and transport teams (subject to job evaluation)
- Reduce building standards staffing
- Charge for building warrant amendments
- Charge for processing viability assessment for developer obligations
- Reduce consultancy budget
- Review ICT video conferencing software
- Streamlining phone entries
- Continue to opt for VAT exemption for leisure services
- Purchasing card rebate
- Remove employee assistance programme – we’ll provide more information on what’s being put in place to mitigate this in a future edition of Connect, and on the interchange
A number of posts which are being removed are currently vacant and, for those that aren’t, colleagues affected are being consulted with.
Given the use of reserves to balance the 2020/21 budget, predicted savings totalling £11.4 million will have to be found in 2021/22.