38 news Your <str<strong>on</strong>g>Stockt<strong>on</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>Council</strong>
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Stockt<strong>on</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> News <str<strong>on</strong>g>March</str<strong>on</strong>g> / April <str<strong>on</strong>g>2010</str<strong>on</strong>g> Page 39 Value for m<strong>on</strong>ey and efficiencies help keep <strong>Council</strong> budget <strong>on</strong> course Despite the effects of the ‘credit crunch’ and rising pressures <strong>on</strong> services, <str<strong>on</strong>g>Stockt<strong>on</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>Borough</strong> <strong>Council</strong> ratified proposals for an annual <strong>Council</strong> tax rise of 2 per cent – half of what the <strong>Council</strong> originally planned in last year’s budget. Thanks to putting in place l<strong>on</strong>g term financial planning more than a decade ago, the <strong>Council</strong> has been able to weather the recent downturn and has c<strong>on</strong>tinued to provide efficient services and value for m<strong>on</strong>ey for the <strong>Borough</strong>’s residents. For Band A <strong>Council</strong> Tax payers – almost half the <strong>Borough</strong>’s total – the rise will mean an extra 31 pence a week. The <strong>Council</strong> estimates it will save £12m by 2013 through various initiatives. These include its Efficiency, Improvement and Transformati<strong>on</strong> Programme which started last year, reviewing travel allowances for <strong>Council</strong> staff, looking at ways of extending partnering with others such as the groundbreaking public sector partnership already established with Darlingt<strong>on</strong> <strong>Borough</strong> <strong>Council</strong>, and by making the procurement process more effective. These savings will be achieved at the same time as protecting fr<strong>on</strong>t line services and jobs and at a time when both Government funding and income are reducing and demands <strong>on</strong> services such as benefits, safeguarding vulnerable people and pers<strong>on</strong>al care for an aging populati<strong>on</strong> are increasing. The budget has been put forward by the <strong>Council</strong>’s power-sharing administrati<strong>on</strong> formed by Labour and C<strong>on</strong>servative <strong>Council</strong>lors. Neil Schneider, <str<strong>on</strong>g>Stockt<strong>on</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>Council</strong>’s Chief Executive, said: “Although the times have been testing for all local authorities, <str<strong>on</strong>g>Stockt<strong>on</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> has fared well. The Audit Commissi<strong>on</strong> has recognised this by giving us a top ‘excellent’ rating for the way we use our resources. We are <strong>on</strong>e of the top three English unitary or county councils to have achieved this. “We are aware that the recessi<strong>on</strong> has hit residents hard, which is why we have tried to make the increase in <strong>Council</strong> Tax as low as possible. L<strong>on</strong>g term, robust financial planning has allowed us to achieve this. “Over the last year we have undertaken a wide range of reviews of our services to see whether there is a way in which we can deliver quality services more efficiently for our residents. “We are a resilient organisati<strong>on</strong> and will keep <strong>on</strong> track with our programme of investment, although we are aware of the need to plan for the increased demands we are facing.” Make a call Roseberry Library has a new teleph<strong>on</strong>e linking direct to the <strong>Council</strong>’s Customer Service Centres. Free to use, it is the first of what may be a small number of access points to be trialled at the <strong>Borough</strong>’s libraries over the coming m<strong>on</strong>ths. It is another example of our commitment to making it as easy as possible for people to c<strong>on</strong>tact services such as bulky household waste removal, council tax, planning, school admissi<strong>on</strong>s, highway maintenance and many more. A year from now… A census takes place every ten years and, a year from now, the next <strong>on</strong>e is due. The Office for Nati<strong>on</strong>al Statistics will carry out the census across England and Wales <strong>on</strong> Sunday, 27 <str<strong>on</strong>g>March</str<strong>on</strong>g> 2011. Every<strong>on</strong>e is asked the same questi<strong>on</strong>s <strong>on</strong> the same day, to give a snapshot of the populati<strong>on</strong>. The informati<strong>on</strong> is used to plan services and resources such as transport, housing, healthcare and educati<strong>on</strong>. Resp<strong>on</strong>dents can complete answers <strong>on</strong>line or post questi<strong>on</strong>naires back. It’s vital every<strong>on</strong>e takes part to give the best picture possible, so mark the date in your diary.