Godiva festival ticket price increase and parking fee rises considered to save money

[dutchman]

Council is also planning to raise taxes by the maximum 5% this year - again



The price of tickets for Godiva Festival could rise along with parking fees in Coventry city centre as the council looks for ways to plug a huge budget black hole. The authority has set out ways that it could reduce costs, which also include charging for garden waste collections and a 5% rise in council tax.

The Labour-run council is planning to save almost £11 million across its services in 2024-5 and more in later years to close huge budget gaps. Moves to cut costs and bring in more money are among 18 ways it's planning to do this, according to a 'pre budget' report seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The options will go to councillors next week and to people in the city for their say next month.

More details on what's are being looked at and how this would affect people in the city are below. A senior councillor said the proposals are "tough" but needed to balance the books and protect frontline services.

The council's draft 'pre budget report' lays bare the challenge it faces in setting a balanced budget, which is required by law, for next year.

A starting budget gap of £20 million has been added to by pressures of £26 million mainly due to inflation and soaring demand for some services.

A drop in the council's resources in the next two years and fewer technical savings available mean it faces even larger gaps to come.

An appendix to the report puts it like this: "The money the Council receives from Government as well as through council tax and business rates, has not increased in line with the increasing cost of providing services.

"The result is that in 2024/25, the Council’s spending is now forecast to exceed its income by over £30 million."

Added to this is uncertainty as the council doesn't know for sure yet how much it will get in the next 'government settlement' which sets out council funding.

But all signs so far are that it won't be more than what was indicated last year, the report says.

Overall the council is planning to make £22 million of "technical savings" to close this year's gap, with half being management action by service directors, and £14 million in the next two years.

The 'service savings' above will save nearly £11 million this year and £14 million in the next two years.

It hasn't completely solved the problem as there are still estimated gaps of £13 and £14 million in the budgets for 2025 and 2026 budgets.

But it means the council can set a balanced budget this year and faces smaller hurdles in future.

As well as making savings, the council is planning to raise council tax by just under 5%, the maximum it can do without a referendum.

This is made up of a 3% hike to core council tax and 2% to fund adult social care, the report says, and will also go to residents for their say.

The report with the plans will go to councillors for approval at a Cabinet meeting next Tuesday (12 December.)

After people have been consulted on the changes the final budget plans will be drawn up and voted on at a full council meeting in February.

[rebbonk]

CCC is riddled with waste, duplication, inefficiencies and incompetence. I know, because I did a brief examination a few years back. To quote the senior manager whom I presented my report, "You are, of course, correct. However, it will take a braver man than me to tackle things!"