At last night’s Cabinet meeting, Leader of the council Cllr Ian Stephens presented his Budget Review paper (embedded below for your convenience).
Managing Director for the Isle of Wight council, Dave Burbage, briefly ran through the impact of the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review on the council budget over the coming years and it was pretty grim.
He explained that although the current projection for the 2013/14 budget sees an overspend of £3.2m, he seemed confident this would be corrected by the end of the financial year through the use of strict financial control and recruitment control.
£16m budget hole for 2014-16
However, it’s looking very bleak for future years.
As previously announced, the council are expecting a reduction in the government grant of around £6m for 2014/15 and more the following year.
It gets worse the following year though, with the council seeing up to £10m less in their grant for the 2015/16.
Re-engineering services
This coupled with additional spending pressures will see the Isle of Wight council have to make some very difficult decisions over the coming years.
At last week’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Cllr Stephens stressed that his council would be looking at re-engineering services rather than cutting them and would be embarking on a consultation roadshow around the Island gathering the views of residents, business, organisations and local councils.
Laying the blame at the right door
Cllr Steve Stubbings welcomed the news of the roadshow, sharing his fear that the council were likely to be seen by the public as responsible for any cuts in services.
He said,
“We need to ensure, as an administration, that we lay the blame firmly at the door of those that are responsible.”
Political roadshow?
This comment was picked up by Cllr Ray Bloomfield later in the meeting.
Cllr Bloomfield asked,
“If this is going to be a political roadshow who is going to be funding it?”
His assertion was quickly countered by Cllr Stephens, who said,
“If it was going to be a political roadshow, I don’t think there would be one Independent appearing, because we are not political and not party-political.”
He went on to add,
“I don’t think you can say our MD, Mr Burbage, was political when he said the pressures within the budgetary implications in the coming year and years to come. It’s a fact, it’s not just a government diktat, it’s coming through industry as well.”
Stephens: “This is not a one-man band”
Cllr Stephens went on to invite Cllr Bloomfield to join them on the roadshow
“We want to see you alongside us to explain to your residents. This is not a one-man band. Come with us, explain as you want to explain to your residents.”
Further comment on the Budget Review paper will no doubt come up at Full Council meeting tonight (6pm County Hall).
