At tonight’s Isle of Wight council Executive meeting, members will receive a rather bleak update on the authority’s current financial position and agree the budget strategy for the coming years.
This is a quick summary of what they’re considering cutting, with more details below:
- Cease funding for School Crossing Patrols
- Cuts of up to 100 jobs (more on this)
- Closing some public toilets
- Cuts to concessionary fares/discretionary fares for vulnerable people
- Funding to West Wight Sports Centre
- Cuts to arts related activities
- Cuts to tourism funding
Still facing £28m budget gap
Following the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Budget Review near the end of last year, the Isle of Wight council still has to find a whopping £28m of savings between now and end of 2017.
The updated position is that the council still faces a projected revenue budget gap of the order of £28 million over the three financial years 2014/15 to 2016/17.
Of this, around £6 million of savings are being delivered in the current financial year.
After taking into account the 2015/16 Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement and budget pressures that may recur into 2015/16 there is a budget gap of £14.5 million to bridge in 2015/16 and a further £8.5 million in 2016/17.
The council’s key priorities
The paper before the Executive tonight sets out key priority areas which the council will focus its resources on “in order to achieve the best possible outcomes”.
- keeping children safe and improving education,
- protecting our most vulnerable residents,
- growing the economy and tourism,
- making the Island a safer place and
- achieving best value for money in all we do.
More job losses
As you would expect, having to find savings of £6m in this financial year – which ends in a couple of months – as well as £14.5 million in 2015-16, there are likely to be job cuts and radicals changes – if not losses – to services.
The council say that it may have to work in partnership with voluntary, private or public sector organisations in order retain services and “protect Island life”.
But also reveals the potential of up to 100 jobs being lost at the council in the coming months.
The recommendation
Members at tonight’s meeting will be asked to consider the recommendation:
That Executive considers the updated financial position facing the council over the next two financial years, the outcomes from budget consultation, and any recommendations from the Scrutiny Committee. In the context of these to recommend to Full Council that option a) be agreed that the overall approach and strategy as set out in this report be used as the basis for developing the Budget Strategy for 2015/16 to 2016/17 and :
(a) the vision, priorities and outcomes set out in Appendix A be used as the basis on which the detailed Corporate Plan is developed.
(b) Savings options set out in Appendix H be further developed for consideration by Full Council on 25 February 2015.
Full details can be found in the paper below, click on the full screen icon to see larger version.
Medium Term Budget Strategy Paper
Image: Phillip Taylor under CC BY 2.0
