Walsall’s Cabinet meet this evening, it’s a packed agenda and early on the proceedings will be the Draft Budget for 2017/2020.

This will by no means be the end of things as far as the budget is concerned, the final say will rest with a special meeting of the full Council on Thursday 23rd February.

The main points that will be made this evening will include the following:

The Council needs to find £86 million savings to balance the books by 2020 because of increased cost beyond the Council’s control and a reduction in Central Government funding. This on top of the £137.5 million that has had to be found since 2010. There is no way that that kind of saving can be found without affecting the services that the council delivers.

To stave off some of the worst of these effects the Coalition will be increasing Council Tax by 4.99%. the statutory maximum allowed by the Government without having to call a referendum. Three per cent of this will be ring-fenced for adult social care, the remaining 1.99% will be used to fund core services. The increase in Council Tax will raise around £5 million towards this year’s reduction of £34 million.

The New Art gallery Walsall

Having said that the proposals will enable £22 million investment split over three key areas:

• £9.8 million for Adult Social Care
• £6.6 million for Children’s Services
• £6.2 million for other key services

There will also be some £55 million capital investment next year spread across school improvements, road and othe infrastructure improvements.

Consultation first began back in October on around ninety savings proposals. The Labour/Liberal Democrat administration have listened to what you along with service user organisations and business have had to say. As a result 25% of the proposals have either been dropped or amended and almost 90 jobs have been saved from the axe.

A new business model is being developed in order to keep the New Art Gallery open and the Leather Museum will remain on its current site in Wisemore. Recognising the increasing importance of the community and voluntary sector the coalition has retained its funding.

Back in October things were looking very bleak for libraries across the borough. Back then there was only sufficient funding to keep the Central Library open. Fourteen others were facing the axe. We know how important libraries are so after a lot of soul searching and sleepless nights ways have been found to produce a new Library Model which will allow six to be retained those being the Central Library in Walsall which will become a central “Hub” housing the Local History Centre and the Archive service. Libraries will also be retained in the District Centres of Willenhall, Darlaston, Bloxwich, Brownhills and Aldridge. There will be a Community Library in Streetly manned and run by the local community there who put forward the costed proposal . Unfortunately the libraries at Beechdale, Blakenall, New Invention, Pelsall, Pleck, Pheasey, Rushall, South Walsall and Walsall Wood will have to close. The mobile Library and home delivery service will be retained and re routed to reach areas of greatest need.

Street Cleansing savings have been amended retaining seven posts and litter/fly tilling hot spot areas will be targeted for more frequent cleansing. Steps will also be taken to come down hard on those who show little respect for the local environment. Last year their anti social behavior cost council tax payers almost half a million pounds! Money that could have gone some way to keep some libraries now to be closed open.

Other notable changes to the original proposals include:

• No increases in fees to market traders whilst still maintaining the market cleansing service
• Existing Category 2 School Crossing Patrols to be retained. Talks are to begin with schools involved over possible alternative funding models
• Bowling Green and Cricket Pitches will continue to be maintained next year.

The budget proposals going forward to the special meeting of the Full Council on the 23rd February will reflect the administration’s desire to tackle the long standing health deprivation issues which have existed for far to long in our borough. We will be working with our partners in the public and community and voluntary sectors to make ever decreasing funding and resources go further making every penny count in our quest to make our town a place to be proud of.