Conservatives seek to reduce Council Tax increase

Wednesday 21 February sees perhaps the most important Council meeting of the year, the Budget Fixing Council Meeting. The local Labour party has already criticised the Liberal Democrat administration's change of procedure in setting the Council budget and now the Conservative opposition are to table amendments to reduce the Council Tax increase proposed by the Liberal Democrats.

Amendment to be moved by Councillor Ashley Dearnley seconded by Councillor Robert Clegg.

1. Budget Reductions 
   Reduce the number of full time trade union officials by one - £30,000
2. Council Tax    
   Council tax increase to be reduced by a further 0.04% from the level agreed following consideration of the previous amendment - £30,000      

Amendment to be moved by Councillor Ashley Dearnley seconded by Councillor Robert Clegg.
     
Budget Reductions 

1. Reduce use of consultants - £150,000
2. Given the failure to reduce sickness levels in the current year, the budget provision for the use of the nurse referral service be withdrawn - £80,000
3. Reduce the number of cabinet posts by three - £35,000
4. Reduce spending on bottled water to allow for essential supply only, i.e. where buildings do not have a safe drinking water supply - £25,000
5. Given the absence of proposal to allocate all the additional investment monies the balance should be used on reducing council tax - £28,000
6. Use reduction in waste disposal levy to reduce council tax increase - £200,000

Total net reduction in budget - £518,000
      
Council Tax 

Council tax increase to be limited to 3.14% in order to reflect the additional budget reductions specified above - £518,000
      

Amendment to be moved by Councillor Robert Clegg seconded by Councillor Ian Duckworth
      
Additional Investment in Priority Areas

1. People’s Champion amp; Customer Services  
   The proposed additional investment relating to the establishment of a 'People’s Champion' and customer services be removed - £150,000
2. Green Team    
   In the absence on any details relating to this proposal, the resource should be spent on improving the environment in those areas taking part in alternative weekly collections.  Spending would include extra litter picking and providing alternatives receptacles to plastic sacks - Nil
3. Voluntary Sector 
   That all groups be funded at the same level as 2006/07 plus an inflationary increase of 2.5%.  That new groups are funded at the cabinet recommended level.  All funding is subject to the review of commissioning agreed by the Cabinet - £100,000
4. Disabled Parking and Disbursed Alarms 
   That the protection of our most vulnerable people represents a higher priority to the establishment of a 'People’s Champion Service' and therefore the Council should re-allocate resources to:
   
   (i) Remove the charge for disabled people to park on car parks in Rochdale MBC - £22,000
   
   (ii) Provide the Careline Disbursed Alarm System free to all - £90,000

Total net implications to be funded from the £90,000 balance of unallocated Additional Investment Budget with the remaining balance helping to reduce council tax - £62,000

Net impact of amendment - Nil

Date article online: 19/02/2007