Revised Budget Plans Set For Cabinet Meeting

Vital services such as education, social care, highways and housing are all set for a cash boost when the council’s budget is discussed this week. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The measures in the budget will help improve the lives of families across every community in Swansea as the benefit from an investment of almost £420m in the coming financial year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Swansea Council’s Cabinet is being asked to consider major investment in schools, additional specialist teaching facilities and alternative education provision for vulnerable children. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Members are also being asked to agree initial spending on work to pave the way for the billion pound regeneration of Swansea city centre and other ambitious capital schemes such as the on-going 21st century schools programme. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Rob Stewart, Leader of the Council, said: “We’ve listened to the views of the people of Swansea and changed some of our proposals in ways which will make a real difference to services most valued by families in our communities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This budget, along with our exciting investment proposals, is one that will touch all our citizens and all our communities whenever they are.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Key budget proposals include: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• Additional cash investment in education and schools of nearly £6m from revenue and capital budgets to help deal with school spending pressures and for school building maintenance improvements.
• There will also be further investment in early intervention and prevention schemes for working with vulnerable groups.
• Senior management cutbacks of £2.4m as part of the overall £16.1m of savings.
  An end to child burial charges.

In the report on capital funding, spending on major projects include up to £6.5m for a new Education Other Than at School (EOTAS) centre and £6.1m for vital work to pave the way for the transformation of the city centre. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

On top of that an extra £1m is being earmarked for capital spending on highways projects ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A third report on the council’s housing stock also identifies spending proposals of more than £150m over the next three years for homes which will be funded directly by income from council house rents. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

If Cabinet approves the report on February 9, it will go to Full Council on February 23 for a final decision. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​