Group Leader, Clr Rod Fletcher's Budget Speech at yesterday's Council Meeting
Budget Speech by Cllr. Rod. Fletcher to Full Council on February 21st 2019.
Madam Mayor,
I continue to be concerned by the way Cheshire East Council budgets for savings in advance of consulting and then implementing the cuts but on occasion not saving the amount that they had budgeted for.
There are many savings under the heading changing the way we work, but most if not all these savings are pure guesswork.
In the 2017/18 year there was a services overspend of £9.3m and this year the projected overspend is £4m.
There are a number of areas, such as income from car parks, in recent years where there has been over projection of income.
Also the use of £55m of New homes Bonus over the years to prop up the Revenue Budget. The New homes Bonus was intended to finance infrastructure improvements mainly in the south Cheshire Towns most affected by having to accept thousands of new homes. The £1m being offered now is too little too late.
I have concerns in the following areas:
Consultations on reductions in the little bus services. After last year's cuts to bus routes there could be increased demand for "little Bus" services.
Concerns at further proposals for cuts at waste and recycling sites.
Reducing the Leisure card saving from 40 to 30% could be counterproductive.
People in some South Cheshire towns have the sword of Damocles hanging over them wondering if or when car parking charges may be imposed if the Conservatives still have a majority on this council after this May's elections. Many Towns are under threat of having car park charges imposed on them not necessarily because they may be needed but to further prop up the revenue Budget.
Towns under threat include Audlem, Alsager, Bollington, Handforth, Middlewich, Sandbach.
These proposals could have a devastating effect on local businesses and cause congestion on nearby residential roads.
There appears to be a back door cut in the Highways budget. Ringway Jacobs will in future have to pay compensation claims by motorists without reimbursement from Cheshire East. This will be money that cannot be used for Highway maintenance. There were 586 third party claims between April and November last year compared with 317 for the same period the previous year.
The Liberal Democrat Group will be voting against this Budget.