The Isle of Wight Council has set out its spending plans for the year ahead with an extra £6.5million set to be invested in vital frontline services, but that comes at a cost with council tax set to rise by 3.99% and a number of cuts and price increases to council-run services.
The proposed budget for the council could see more than £203million spent on frontline services in 2020/21. However, that will be partly funded by a council tax increase of 1.99% for general requirements plus 2% specifically for adult social care, meaning an average band C council taxpayer will see their bill increase by £1.09 a week or £56.79 a year from April 2020.
The authority already spends around £134,000 every single day on adult social care and housing and that is set to rise to £141,000 under ambitious budget proposals published today (Wednesday). In children’s services, a £1.7million+ funding boost will take spending from £67,000 each day to £72,000.
Alongside the extra resources for adult social care and children’s services, the council is having to propose £4.5million of savings in 2020/21 to deliver a balanced budget, which is a legal requirement. Since 2011/12 government funding reductions have meant the council has had to find £82million in savings.
7% of the £4.5million savings will come from service cuts and adjustments as the authority continues to make substantial and innovative efficiency savings and income generation to meet the target.
Proposed cuts and changes to council services include:
• Reduce beach cleaning from daily to weekly, with the exception of Ryde (daily) and in school holidays (daily)
• Introduce all-year-round parking fees on Esplanades including Culver, Sandown, Shanklin, Ventnor, Cowes and Gurnard
• Increasing Wightcare installation cost from £40 to £80 but including key safe within that price (currently £15)
• Restrict van visits to Lynnbottom and Afton to 12 visits per year only
• Increase cost of swimming lessons by £1, concessionary fee by £1.50 and sports hall prices by 10%
• £12 increase in garden waste service from £60 to £72 per annum
• Re-tender school bus contract with an aim to save £310,000
• 7% increase in fees and charges for burials and cremations
• 6% increase in fees and charges for licensed premises and EU citizen status fee
• Reduce the book fund for libraries and review staffing structure
• Reduction in grounds maintenance services in parks and cemeteries – summer bedding reduced or stopped in some areas
• Increase Newport Harbour fees by 10%
• Increase booking fee for all ticket purchases for Medina Theatre
• Changes to Island and supplementary parking permits, merging into a single permit plus 20% increase in resident and tourist permits
• Increase short stay car park charges by around 20p an hour and increase on-street parking to £2.00 for 1 hour
• Introduce a charge of £2.00 a day at Cowes Park and Ride
• 10% increase in building control fees
• Termination of Enterprise House lease
Councillor Dave Stewart, Leader of the Isle of Wight Council, says:
“Not only have we balanced the books for the fourth year running, I’m delighted to say there’s more positive news on the horizon.
Article continues below this advertisement “Thanks to our shrewd financial management and careful preservation of reserves, we’re also able to reduce our savings’ target by a total of £3 million over the following three years — and that’s without an Island Deal from Boris!
“We’ve done all of this while continuing to deliver the services that our residents rely on, looking after the most vulnerable, keeping the Island moving and protecting and improving the environment.
“This year will see us open one of the most advanced waste management and recycling facilities in the country, bolstering our position close to the top ten per cent of areas in England for recycling rates.
“Also, let’s not forget the Island has already received substantial funding from government including £48 million for our health service, £28 million for Island Line and £9.6 million for junction improvements in Newport.
“To that you can add £1 million from the Heritage High Street programme for Newport and Ryde, £6 million for our Better Care Fund and £288,700 to support rough sleepers on the Island announced just last week.
“This year residents will be pleased to hear that the proposals mean it won’t cost them a penny more to visit the tip or travel on the floating bridge, and we propose maintaining free parking in Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin and Ventnor high streets to support the business community in those areas.
“However, as part of our ongoing review of parking, we are proposing to make charges fairer and simpler across the Island as well as introducing a £1 charge for 30 minutes’ parking in Newport High Street to support businesses there.
“In addition, we’re working hard to invest in the Island’s future by securing the finale of the country’s biggest cycle race, the Tour of Britain, for 2021 which would bring a multi-million pound boost to the local economy. With SailGP set to return to Cowes this summer, we’ve got a lot to look forward to.”
The council has also unveiled a capital programme ambition of over £6.6 million of new investment, ranging from key road safety schemes to major investment in the council’s contact centre at Westridge. It includes £1.7million in improvement grants to help Island householders and tenants with disabilities to remain in their own homes.
Deputy leader, Councillor Stuart Hutchinson, added:
“The financial climate is difficult and we continue to make the unique case to government about extra funding that recognises our island status.
“In every discussion that has taken place we have been mindful of the impact that a cut in budgets would mean and we have tried to find a balanced and fair way to do this but, of course, there are areas where it has been tough to do so.
“We feel this budget continues to give protection and support for the most vulnerable and balances that need with ensuring we provide continued services for the hard-working taxpayers who fund what we do.”
The budget proposals to go before Cabinet members on 13th February and to Full Council on 26th February.
Got to love the true blue voters on the island. Complain about it and then vote for more of it. Just in case you’ve missed it…
“Since 2011/12 government funding reductions have meant the council has had to find £82million in savings.”
I’ll carry on voting Tory, wandering around in designer clothes and drive a nicer car than you if it makes your tongue wag for 5 more years!
You’re a strange kind of sociopath, one that actually knows it and yet doesn’t care.
So I’m a sociopath cos I worked and studied harder than you, who votes labour in the hopes of communism?
@yoshikage
you will have noticed that john cage resorts to insulting people who do not agree with this lefty, commie views.
A standard trait of the commies in society.
I haven’t insulted anyone, you have avoided facts to try and align with your own political ideology. Once again in case you’ve missed it, 82 million in cuts due to your right wing Tory government, which means CT has to rise to cover costs, while cuts to services also have to be made. So, try again.
You don’t know anything about me but your presumptions are telling about the kind of person you are.
cage – do not need to – you have insulted me on this site more than once – it is in the posting history and others. Says all I need to know about you – typical, lefty do gooder.
Better than voting Labour and have mad spending sprees which bankrupt the country and force the Tories to have to introduce austerity measures to return the economy to health.
Can you please approve my long message in response to the below comment, explaining the financial crash. It was a fair comment and shouldn’t be censored.
I can only assume it has not been approved due to editorial political preference, which is a very dangerous and indeed illegal tight rope to walk.
Got no reply to me being able to walk around in an outfit that costs more than your rent other than “hurr durr sociopath!!”?
Good luck with your mental state, friend. You sound unhinged.
Max they can put council tax up is 4% so sounds much better at 3.99%!! hope you all love this shower of councillors whoever voted for them, not me!!
The left want everything paid for without the tax, money is not growing on trees, what ever we want must be paid for….
Having said that, the left want to tax us till the pipps squeak.
However, the richest employers supply jobs and without them we would have even more unemployment living off the state, and how is that going to be paid for???
From the fewer remaining rich capitalists in even higher taxes?!
That is right clare – the left want cradle to the grave socialist government control, nanny stating and the freedom to impoverish everyone, except themselves of course, under the pretense of “helping those in need”
How much of a pay rise did the councillors get, how much of an increase did they see in pension contributions to their respective pots from the taxpayer, how many more junkets, freebies and other “expenses” are they claiming.
How much more income tax are councillors paying to central government from their newly increased salaries, which ultimately comes from council tax payers.
Leeches, all of them, pretending to do their civic duties – pah.
Cut out the spongers, freeloaders and other needy cases, such as councillors freebies and there wouldn’t be the need for cuts anywhere.
What are you even talking about? The left have traditionally taxed more, especially corporation tax, in order to take greater social responsibility for society. it is your right wing Tory government that has made these raises necessary because they’ve cut a gigantic 82 million from the tiny little Isle of Wight. How’s your town doing these days?
@Cage – the hard working people of our society want to enjoy the money they earn theirselves and not have some do gooding, left wing, socialist, hand wringing liberal taking it off them.
It is our money, we earnt it, we want to spend it on ourselves -got it now have you.
Once again, these increases are due to your RIGHT WING government, you donkey.
cage – go back to your socialist utopia of venezuala or any of the other failed socialist states.
You don’t actually follow logic so it’s hard to have a debate with you. You tried to pin these increases on a socialist ideology when they are the direct result of your right wing government. Please try again.
You again fail to address the fact that these increases are the result of your right wing government and have nothing to do with Venezuela, you donkey.
Well said none given .
It’s a joke what do the council do for average person nothing it’s a joke
Its disgusting
Is he sure that putting parking cost up, will help retailers and restaurants! I expect one day he will save money by reducing the number of highly rewarded management.
How can you “balance the books for the fourth year running” Obviously the first three were failures then?
Typical Council B.S trying to spin it for there positive gain. We all pay more in Parking fee’s and taxes whilst they all get pay rises and make “Shred” decisions about which roundabout needs dismantling next. Disgusting to think they can stop daily beach cleaning on an island surrounded by them but they can’t stop bending us over for another turn around the board.. Collect £200
What a surprise, a rise of 3.99% but still reducing standard services to below what they should be already!
Social adult care is a joke, supporting people with money and shelter so they can go down ryde sea front get drunk and do drugs great picture to paint for the family getting off the pirate boat at the end of the peir.
Might change my carear get a dog and drink out of a brown bag!
We feel this budget continues to give protection and support for the most vulnerable and balances that need with ensuring we provide continued services for the hard-working taxpayers who fund what we do.”
……………
How about you cut the amount the hard working taxpayers are coughing up against their will, as well as slashing the expenditure on the lazy, workshy, dole bum layabouts and scroungers, who pretend to need adult social care just to avoid working, by hiding amongst the genuine cases.
always putting the tax up, never down – effing greedy, lying councillors.
I am fed up with seeing do gooders spending more of my money, when it should be returned to me – after all, I damned well earned it for myself and not for others.
Plus, THINK of all the new homes being built on the Island every year. As each new home pays council tax our bills should be coming down NOT going up.
If we only had ten houses in each town, then they would have to pay a tenth of the costs of all services, so, it stands to reason the more houses the more profit or extra funds should be available to the council.
They squander cash, the wages are way too high, and when forced to look at salaries they just move the top bods about and never rid any of them from the pay roll.
I f the council stopped wasting money on the St Mary’s roundabout scheme, got a floating bridge that worked stopped wasting money replacing perfectly good traffic lights with these useless pelican things and got rid of PFI contracts which we shall be paying through the nose for for years, they could have reduced the council tax not increased it.
Can the council please explain how pensioners who will receive about a 3% increase in their pensions this April can afford to pay an additional 3.99% council tax. If the council wanted to make genuine savings, they would reduce the pay of their head honchos.
Bosses at the Isle of Wight Council earned more than £500,000 between them in one year, it has been revealed.
Figures from the TaxPayers’ Alliance show that the Chief Executive of the council, John Metcalfe, received £127,513 throughout the 2017/18 financial year.
He also had a pension of £29,965.
The data, published on the group’s 12th Town Hall Rich List, also revealed that Director of Adult Social Services, Carol Tozer, took home £106,263, with a pension of £24,972.
£103,087 was paid to Chris Ashman, the Isle of Wight Council’s Director of Regeneration, throughout the year. His pension was £23,579.
The local authority’s Head of Resources at the time, Claire Shand, earned £83,894 (not including expenses of £1,077). She had a
pension of £19,715, according to the data.
The TaxPayers’ Alliance says the council’s Director of Public Health claimed a salary of £97,366 with a pension of £13,995.
Isle of Wight Councillors received £474,488 in allowances and expenses last year — an increase of more than £13,000 compared with the previous year.
According to the 2018/19 figures, which have just been published, councillors received £314,160 in basic allowances, £130,725 in special responsibility allowances — awarded to councillors who hold senior roles, such as cabinet members and committee chairs — and £28,880 in expenses.
Moron. Bred the odd indeed.
What on earth is wrong with you.
So, to help the poorest in our society our council are going to remove even more resources from our library services. This is probably one of the most important facilities available for Islanders with limited incomes and it has already taken a beating financially!
I dare say that this is happening so that the council can afford to pay excessive interest payments for the Island Roads PFI for a woeful standard of work!
The council is progressing with its plan to drive all visitors away.
Yet more cars parked in residential streets to avoid these rip off parking charges together with even more closed shops.. And don’t blsme the Tories. Other parties in power on the island were just as bad.
Can you please approve my earlier comment about the financial crash, which is in reply to another comment. Approving this message and not that does no good. It also suggests editorial preference on a news site based on political leaning, which infers censorship due to free expression, which is illegal.
@cage – your comment…
It also suggests editorial preference on a news site based on political leaning, which infers censorship due to free expression, which is illegal.
………
That is absolutely laughable- perhaps you should pick that up with the lefty BBC or the Guardian – seeing as they couldn’t be more left wing if they tried – since when has any of those outlets ever been neutral in their reporting.
you may have the right to free speech- which you wouldn’t have under a socialist, lefty do gooding government, however, you do not have the legal right to use a forum provided by a third party and as such, that third party has the right to decide what it allows on its site – you can complain, but ultimately it is up to them – force the issue and the board will simply be closed.
You are very funny. In supporting censorship and a news provider deliberately deleting comments, which use facts to disprove the bile people like you spout, you criticize this imaginary left wing bogey man for doing the very thing you are supporting here. Odd logic, but hey, that’s why the council tax goes up, you complain and then vote for more of it.
nope cage – you are the typical lefty do gooder, that wants everyone to be rinsed for every penny to pay for BS welfare projects and other nanny stating – doesn’t work, never has worked and never will -history is littered with examples of failed socialist and communist experiments, yet some idiots seem to think that it will work. Jokers.
Once again, these increases are due to YOUR right wing Tory government. Nothing to do with me or socialism. Try again.
Also, just so you know, once again you are incorrect. The IPSO deals specifically with complaints about newspapers censoring comments on their articles, because guess what, without reason it is illegal.
If a provider of a website deems your post to be unfit to be posted, then they have a reason and the right to deny or remove it. Whether you agree with their reason or not, is irrelevant – sites have the right to moderate or filter posts that are not deemed fit to be made public on their sites – the site owner is in charge – not the left do gooding poster.
Actually the law says different, as I’ve already explained. Try again.
“Thanks to our shrewd financial management” which means we all have to pay more…… thanks for that shrewdness.
Can’t wait to fall in to even more debt trying to pay higher bills.