This was despite a year that saw increased financial pressures on the Council, including the loss of Bromsgrove’s entire Government grant funding. Bromsgrove are not alone in facing increased costs: according to the Local Government Association (LGA), Councils in England face an overall funding gap that will exceed £5 billion by 2020. In summer 2017, rubbish piled high on the streets of Birmingham after a dispute between the Labour-run Council and contractors over bin collections.
Despite this, Bromsgrove balanced the books and will maintain all services. The Conservative-controlled authority is also keeping Council Tax lower for a Band D property in most areas than neighbouring Labour-controlled authorities like Redditch.
Council Leader Geoff Denaro said: “Despite ever-increasing pressure on public finances, we are keeping all frontline services, lowering costs where we can, and keeping popular services such as the popular Christmas events programme: at an increased cost of just 12p per week to the average household.”
“We regret any increase at all, but following discussions we recognise that residents would rather pay an extra £6.29 for all services than be forced to make cuts. It may be a challenge in future years, but this year’s balanced budget will maintain all our services to you.”
Cllr Brian Cooper, Cabinet Member for Finance, said: “Whatever happens, and whatever financial challenges we are facing as a Council, we must do our utmost to prevent these financial pressures being passed on to residents. That’s why we are constantly reviewing our costs and looking for innovative income streams to cope with the situation, including changing how we look at our assets so that they may generate sustained income, rather than one-off cash sales. We will also develop our partnership working with other bodies and local businesses. We have a plan for Bromsgrove.”
A statement from the Local Government Association in early February said: “Town halls face significant challenges as they try and set budgets this year…Many will have to make tough decisions about which services have to be scaled back or stopped altogether to plug funding gaps.”
This year, Bromsgrove will maintain all frontline services. No alternative budgets were proposed by the Opposition Groups.
Services provided by the District Council include but are not limited to: regular bin collections, sports and leisure services including free or subsidised exercise classes, supporting town centres, planning, street cleaning, car park services, care for the elderly such as Lifeline, community safety, and planning for the long-term future of the town.