Extra investment and record savings - budget proposals unveiled

The Council's proposed budget, which it begins consultation on, outlines its financial plans for the next three years and will continue to increase the levels of investment in services and savings each year.

The Council's areas for extra investment reflect local people's priorities, supported by the savings that the Council is proposing in other areas. The package would next year invest over £9.5 million of the Council's own resources in a mixture of day-to-day services and one-off investments, rising to £15.5 million by 2010/11.

These figures will grow further as the Council uses its investment to lever further external funding for the borough.

The draft budget would see a council tax rise in line with the Retail Price Index measure of inflation. This would see bills rise by 4.3 per cent - equivalent to 65p a week rise for the average household (band B) or 85p a week for a band D home.

This is well below the Government's guideline maximum of 5% and would still mean that Telford & Wrekin's council tax rates are by far the lowest in Shropshire.

The areas that the Council proposes to put extra resources into include:

• The Borough Town's Initiative to regenerate the historic centres across Telford and Wrekin with extra investment particularly for the Wellington, Newport, Dawley/Malinslee and Ironbridge areas, while southern parts of Telford will get further regeneration, as will other centres
• Extra money to support care services for older and vulnerable adults
• More cash to tackle problems related to anti-social behaviour, alcohol misuse and the night-time economy
• £6.6 million to improve roads, footpaths and streetlights over the next three years
• Investing in the borough's parks and play areas and extra money specifically for events in Telford Town Park
• More money for new Children's Centres and extending free nursery places and tackling causes of social and educational disadvantages for young people
• Beginning work on a further £4 million investment and regeneration package for Brookside and Sutton Hill

The Council proposes increasing ongoing savings to around £9 million by 2010/11 and will progressively reduce council tax increases each year to below 3.5% by the same date.

The budget also proposes to halve the Council's current reliance on reserves to around £1.2 million, with this falling further in the next two years.

Council leader Andrew Eade said: "Despite the tight financial constraints, this is a budget that will make a real difference right across the borough and invests significantly in the areas that the people tell us are their priorities.

"We want to do this by funding our investment package from savings and greatly reducing the previous administration's need to use our balances. At a time when many household bills and costs are surging ahead, we are looking to keep our increase in council tax bills directly in line with the Retail Price Index.

"Our three year strategy will progressively reduce council tax levels to below 3.5%.

"I believe that this combination will ensure that people in Telford and Wrekin continue to receive high quality services for what will still be one of the lowest council taxes in the region."

The Council budget proposals will now go out for consultation. This includes a budget Question Time event at the Place @ Oakengates on January 22 at 6.30pm. The final budget will be agreed by Full Council on 6^th March.