Spending cuts to be discussed
New leader of Calderdale Council Janet Battye and deputy leader Tim Swift shake hands outside Halifax town hall
RESIDENTS have one month to give their feedback on the budget proposals for the next three years.
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet has approved the proposals which include a two per cent rise in council tax and cuts to services as the council seeks to reduce its spending by £21.6 million by 2016.
Spending on adults, health and social care services will be cut by £850,000 in 2013/14 rising to £2 million in 2014/15 and £4.5 million in 2015/16.
Children and young people services will see cuts of £975,000 in the next financial year rising to £1.68 million in 2014/15 and £2.71 million in 2015/16.
Council leader Tim Swift, chairing the Cabinet meeting, also announced plans to implement a living wage - above the minimum wage - for all council employees but couldn’t rule out future job cuts.
The council also plans to invest in economy and infrastructure, transform social care, support children and young people, improve the way local people find and use council services, while helping them do things themselves in the community and achieve good value for money.
“We do our best to provide good services for local people within the budget we have and this is becoming more and more difficult,” said Coun Swift. “Despite the reduction in our funding we are proposing £2 million to support the increasing number of children needing social care as well as investing in early intervention work to avoid further costs in the future.
“It is also very important that we build a stronger local economy to provide a future for our young people. To support this we are proposing a £2.5million fund to stimulate local economic regeneration and employment opportunities.”
The draft budget proposals will be discussed at a meeting on Tuesday, January 22, at Brighouse Civic Hall, Brighouse. Consultation ends on Monday, February 11. Final decisions will be taken on February 25.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Halifax
Saturday 18 May 2013
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 7 C to 12 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 8 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North east
