Council Budget Plan
Developing the Council’s Budget Plan
The Council needs to plan to manage with over £43 million less
money over the next two years. We want to have a conversation about
how these plans could affect Sefton residents, partners, local
businesses and the voluntary, community and faith sector. We want
to share with you the detail about how we plan to make these
savings and for you to tell us what you think.
What does the Council do?
Sefton Council spends around a net £236 million a year on
services (excluding amounts spent by schools and on Housing and
Council Tax Benefit, which are both funded by Government Grants,
and net of other income). We empty the bins, care for older people,
clean the streets, help keep the roads safe, help children with
disabilities get to school, maintain parks and opens spaces,
support events and festivals, and deliver hundreds of other
services. We also provide a wide range of other services.
Out of every pound we spend on delivering services:
- only 37 pence comes from the Council Tax we collect from
residents.
- about 46 pence of every pound we spend comes from national
Government.
- 17 pence comes from other money, such as for parking and
planning applications.
Of this £236 million, around £128 million of the Council’s money
is spent on services for people that most need our help and
support. Every year we spend:
- just under £95 million on caring for older people and adults
with disabilities.
- over £33 million on protecting children from harm and looking
after children in our care.
Why has Sefton Council got less money to spend on
services?
Because so much of the money the Council spends in Sefton comes
from Government, the reduction in funding the Government is making
available to Council’s is having a significant impact on our
budget. This year we got £30 million less from Government than in
2010, and over the next two years it is estimated that we will lose
another £19 million. In addition we have a growing number of older
people in the borough, and we expect that we need to put £10
million aside for social care to meet the expected needs of
vulnerable adults and children. The Council, like many households,
is also finding that the things we buy are getting more expensive.
For example, we are spending nearly £0.7 million pounds more on
utilities than we were one year ago. It is estimated that goods and
services will cost £14m more over the next two years.
All of this means that we will have to reduce
how much we spend on services by over £43 million in the next two
years.
How will the changes affect our services to you?
Last year the Council received some support from the Government
in order to freeze the Council Tax and keep the Council Tax bills
down. However the Council may have to increase the Council Tax to
be able to reduce the amount of savings to be made. If the Council
increased the Council Tax by 2% this would generate about £2
million.
The Council also understands that it needs to ensure it
maintains services for people that most need our help and support.
For example, we will try to maintain services for older people who
need help to live independently, and we will continue to invest in
services that support and protect children. However, the Council
wants to transform these services so that they provide good value
for money, provide independence and choice whilst still meeting
assessed needs. We will still be looking at all services to see if
some of them can be delivered with fewer managers, staff and teams
by integrating services where they can be brought together. And, we
will be seeking to extend new technology to reduce paperwork and
get the best possible price when we buy goods.
However, even with our best efforts, the size of the challenge
means that people will see changes to services. For example, we
expect to make savings from no longer subsidizing services. We may
also have to reduce further how often we maintain some parks and
green spaces, and we may have to close some facilities that are not
used by enough people to justify their cost, or we can no longer
afford.
How can I find out more detail and have my say?
The Council would welcome your involvement in the consultation.
We are consulting on a set or principles that will guide the budget
setting process and have developed a budget simulator for you
to try to set a balanced budget yourself. Please go to
the Budget
consultation to take part online, or telephone 0151 934
3480. Copies of this consultation document are available in large
print and other formats on request. To request this service please
call 0151 934 3480. The closing date for consultation is
31st December 2012
What we will do with your feedback
The information you provide will be treated confidentially and
used solely by Sefton Council. Your views and the information
provided will be analysed and will form part of a report to the
Council to make a decision on the final budget for Sefton.
Last Updated on 1/10/2013