PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL’s draft budget for 2016/17 has been approved by the Cabinet.
Members met on Monday, January 11, to discuss the new budget which will see cost reductions of £13.8m and additional income from an increase in council tax.
Councillors spoke of a need to maintain services for the future and said there was a need to hold those services on a sustainable basis.
Council Leader Jamie Adams said: “I’ve not shied away from commenting that the receipt of the budget this year has highlighted the plight of rural authorities, and it is the case that rural authorities are finding themselves at the bottom of the pile in terms of funding outcomes from Welsh Government.
“There are residents in Pembrokeshire who are financially vulnerable and it is paramount that we keep them in our minds as we move through the budget process, the effect of the decisions we make in terms of the impact on the lives of those families.
“We have one of the most challenging budgets that the authority is ever likely to have.
“The 21st century schools programme is ambitious, but why shouldn’t it be, why shouldn’t we be ambitious for our young people, why shouldn’t we take risks in terms of our desire to provide them with the best of outcomes?. The 21st century schools programme is a risk as to the capability of the authority to deliver it but what an achievement we could deliver for the people of Pembrokeshire.
“Sustainability of services is key because there are some poison chalices in terms of grasping the nettles of some tricky elements of service delivery and I will place on record that this Cabinet will not back down, we will grasp that nettle and we will look at every matter of service delivery without fear or favour because it is absolutely right that we consider every element of cost within the authority.
“The Wales Audit Office (WAO) has challenged us to think longer term and to plan in a financial context in at least a five year cycle. Recognising also that some of the decisions we make are very brave but mean little when we can’t deliver them and we have to have the political will to drive through these savings otherwise we’ll be in a position where services in the future will be unsustainable.
“There is a strong view that Council tax is seen by the public as fair a way as any of bringing in additional finance to the authority and although there is an opportunity to increase council tax we will still be the lowest authority in Wales. I think it is prudent, on occasions, to consider rises in council tax to ensure that the services we provide in the future are held on a sustainable basis.”
Cabinet member for Transportation and Major Events, Cllr Rob Lewis said: “Over the last couple of years I think we have taken disproportionate reductions in our budget.
“I’m fairly comfortable that we can continue to deliver a good service and we do have a very good network so I hope the public bear with us because we will be attending to their concerns.”
Cabinet Member for Economy and Communities, Cllr Keith Lewis said: “One positive of this is that there is a small element within the capital budget for an industrial unit development in the north of the county and this will go a way towards creating the proper view that we are an authority that supports and encourages business.
“I look forward to seeing the Haverfordwest Masterplan and masterplans for all the other major towns which will allow us to identify specific areas that we can go for external funding and support those particular developments.”
Cabinet Member for Education and Safeguarding, Councillor Sue Perkins said: “The funding for post-16 provision in our secondary schools is controlled by Welsh Government and the specific grant funding allocation to Pembrokeshire for 2016/17 is still awaited, however there is likely to be a reduction between 3 to 7% and falling pupil numbers combined with reducing post-16 funding would represent a significant funding challenge to our secondary schools.
“Talking about Children’s services, these are some of our most vulnerable children in our county and whilst looking at making a reduction in the service, that always has to be at the forefront of our minds.
“We don’t know yet what the Families First grant is going to be; we don’t know if that is going to be reduced, if that is reduced it could have a huge impact on the services that we provide which is really serious because these are our very vulnerable children but we will make savings but only doing so when we know that our children are completely safe and we are providing the best service that we can.”
Cabinet Member for Environmental and Regulatory Services and the Welsh Language, Councillor Huw George said: “There is only a certain amount of shaving you can do while saving before the whole service collapses. Our in-year savings have been cut because we haven’t got that political will and we can all be heroes by saying don’t look at this or that but if we do that all we are doing is saving up trouble for the following financial year.
“If we cut any more I’m afraid that the balance between saving and risk will be a risk upon public health. We appreciate that savings have to be made but when you have more regulation, more responsibility and fewer staff, somewhere you cross the line and that’s why I’m asking if we can look forward rather than this constant shaving.
“Let’s be brave so that we are on a sure footing as we move forward and I would support the leader when he says we look at everything and we investigate every avenue so that we can move forward with a challenging budget and come out at the other end with sustainable standard services for the people of Pembrokeshire.”
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