Time running out to comment on budget

Scarborough Council is reminding residents that they are still able to comment on its annual budget consultation up to and including Monday.
063408a    in E.News> BuildingsPlaces 21/8  pic AH
Scarborough Town Hall063408a    in E.News> BuildingsPlaces 21/8  pic AH
Scarborough Town Hall
063408a in E.News> BuildingsPlaces 21/8 pic AH Scarborough Town Hall

Every year, the council consults on the budget it needs to set for the next financial year.

The budget is used to support the delivery of all council services such as refuse collection, street cleansing, parks, regeneration, tourism services and CCTV, which are paid for by core funding from Government as well as council tax income.

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In 2016/17 the core funding due to be received from Government will be cut by £1,093,000 and the council will face a number of unavoidable cost pressures. This will result in a funding shortfall of £2,047,000.

To balance the funding gap, the draft budget report is proposing efficiency and savings proposals of £1,608,000 and a draw of £270,000 from reserves.

This leaves a shortfall of £169,000, which still needs to be identified. The following options will be reviewed and may reduce the shortfall:

• A review of tourist information centre provision across the borough

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• Efficiency savings from transformational change (i.e. electronic rather than face to ace service delivery and contact)

• Creation of new kiosks on Whitby Harbour land to generate additional rental income

The draft budget report is also proposing a council tax increase of 1.99% for the 2016/17 year.

This would equate to an increase of £4.21 per year (or eight pence per week) for a band D council tax payer and would generate additional funding of £156,000 per year to help maintain council services.

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This would be the first council tax increase for Scarborough Borough Council since 2010.

Proposals are also included for capital funding expenditure on priority schemes throughout the borough such as coastal protection.

People can access further information and comment on the consultation at www.scarborough.gov.uk/consultation Alternatively paper copies are available by calling Neil Hughes on (01723) 232323 or emailing [email protected]