Public Feedback Helps Shape Final Budget Proposals

Public feedback has played an important role in helping to shape the Executive’s final Budget proposals for 2017/18. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Residents, partners, stakeholders and staff responded to the initial budget proposals. The five-week consultation centred on service cuts of nearly £3m and a 3% Council Tax increase. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Safeguarding education and social services, keeping Council Tax and service fees as low as possible were key messages from the stakeholders’ responses. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Public input to the consultation process, feedback from the Authority’s own Scrutiny Committees, and an increase in external funding has seen the Executive revise its initial savings proposals as well as propose a smaller 2.5% increase in Council Tax. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Two of the most contentious proposals – a significant increase to school transport fees and cost of school meals – have been revised. The Executive will now propose that school meals only increase by 10p per meal per day and school transport by £10 a year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Schools will also be given a year’s grace to find efficiency savings totalling £490k as the intention is to fund the sum from the Council’s reserves for 2017/18. Head teachers will be expected to develop a comprehensive savings plan for 2018-19 and beyond. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Executive will meet to formally agree its Budget proposals on Tuesday, February 14th. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Finance portfolio holder, Councillor Hywel Eifion Jones, explained, “When the consultation process began in November, I made it clear that none of the proposed cuts were written in stone. We were prepared to listen and change things. We’ve done that and important feedback provided is reflected in our final Budget proposals.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“In such austere times, we’re focussing on careful, but effective, financial management. We’re working to ensure the Authority is on a firm financial footing as the next few years are likely to be much tougher.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Council Leader, Cllr Ieuan Williams, said, “Despite facing significant financial pressures, we’ve protected education and social services to the best of our ability, and kept this year’s Council Tax increase as low as possible. A 2.5% Council Tax increase would equate to 51p a week for average Band D property and keep Anglesey’s Council Tax amongst the lowest in Wales.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We also propose to introduce a 25% Council Tax premium on long term empty properties and second homes from April 2017. This will allow the Council to allocate extra funds for affordable housing projects. The level of premium and the use of the funds generated will be subject to a further review in 2018/19.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He added, “I am confident that this is a prudent Budget that the Full Council will be able to support later this month.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Executive’s final Budget propsals will be presented to the Full Council at its meeting on Tuesday, February 28th. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​