In the Conygre Hall at Timsbury on Wednesday, 7th November, about two dozen 'stakeholders' met Councillors and Finance Managers from B&NES for the third and final meeting in this year's series of budget briefings. Cllr David Bellotti, Lib-Dem and Cabinet Member with responsibility for resources, explained it was their ambition to avoid increases in Council Taxes for the next two years. Achieving this would require support from at least one of the other political parties.
B&NES are planning to take advantage of the Government's offer of financial support to avoid a rate increase, but because it only covers one year, fear it may lead to bigger increases in the future.
Businesses need to be aware that their rates are not covered by the 'freeze' and could rise by approaching 6%.
Finance Mananger, Andrew Pate, presented the budget figures, which will need to be approved by the full Council in February. The budget for the year April 2013–March 2014 is to be reduced by just over 1% (£1.2m) at a time when prices are expected to rise by around 2%. The books will be balanced by reducing administrative costs, increasing charges and some cutbacks in services, see page 18. Administrative cuts obviously mean employment cuts. £4.1m has been set aside to pay redundancy costs.
The Council decided as part of the budgeting process to end a number of exemptions and concessions on Council Tax payments which should boost income by up to £1,000,000. Labour and Conservative Councillors combined to successfully propose that some of the money raised from reducing Council Tax Exemptions be used to reduce the impact of cuts in Council Tax Benefit on those of working age on a discretionary individual case basis.
There is no increase to existing car parking charges and park and ride fees, but another boost to income is to come from the imposition of parking charges at a large number of free Council car parks outside Bath. This has infuriated Conservative Councillors, who mainly represent wards outside Bath, who see it as bad news for the smaller town centres and village shops and facilities.
B&NES wants to seek legal powers to introduce parking charges at all of its off-street car parks which are currently free of charge. This means that the proposals could affect local areas including Midsomer Norton, Chew Magna, Paulton, Peasedown St John, Radstock and Wellow.
Conservatives have pointed to the fact that the Council's own budget report admits that the plans could reduce the number of visitors to affected areas and could push cars onto nearby residential roads. This would then force the Council to spend on creating residents' parking zones.
One of the largest car parks which would be affected is Midsomer Norton's South Road car park. Conservative Councillors have already been campaigning against the possibility that parking charges could be introduced in Midsomer Norton after they rrealised this was a possibility.
Cllr Barry Macrae (Cons., MSN North) said: "Only a few months ago local traders presented a petition to B&NES signed by over a thousand people calling for free parking to be retained. Yet now Lib-Dem B&NES is pushing ahead with these plans and ignoring the concerns of traders and residents. Free parking benefits our town by encouraging visitors to shop here and allows people to browse the High Street without having to keep one eye on the clock."
Cllr Michael Evans (Cons., MSN North) added: "B&NES is flying in the face of local opinion and the recommendations of the Government's Portas report, which supported free parking as a way of helping local High Streets. The Council will have to put more resources into the administration and enforcement of new parking charges for a relatively small financial gain. We will be backing local traders in opposing these plans."
Another of the area's car parks which could be affected is at the rear of the Pelican pub in Chew Magna. Cllr Vic Pritchard, whose Chew Valley South ward neighbours the affected area, said: "Village shops rely upon local trade and people being able to stop off nearby and park for free. Otherwise people will drive further afield to supermarkets with free parking. It would be hugely damaging to Chew Magna if the Council brings in parking charges here and I know that local residents and traders will be aghast at the idea. The Council should be helping local shops, not hitting them with more charges."
Over the next few years the Council will also be required to deal with an unprecedented level of change in its role, services and funding. These include changes to the benefits system particularly Council Tax and housing benefits, the on-going impacts of academy schools, a new duty for Public Health and the changes to the grant and Business Rates system.
The Council is also planning to spend money from its capital budget on a range of new investments including on a shop and catering facilities at Bath Crematorium to improve the visitor experience, £500,000 is to be spent on new cycle routes, further spending on 20 mph limits, £100,000 on improving the River Avon through the district and £3,000,000 on flood protection for the benefit of the bath Western Riverside Development.