Value for
money and improving services
Crewe & Nantwich Borough Council, at a meeting yesterday,
announced that Borough Council Tax will increase by 2.75% for
2008/09.
Speaking at the budget setting Council meeting on the 27/2/08,
Council Leader, Cllr Brian Silvester said, "Our administration has
continued to make excellent progress. Real improvements to Borough
Council services have been made. For 2008/9 we are proposing a
small increase in the Council Tax, of 2.75%, or just over 7 pence
per week, which is below the latest increase in the retail price
index. Our proposed increase will be one of the lowest in the North
West and we will have the third lowest Council Tax of all the shire
districts in the North West. Even though we are proposing such a
low increase we have been able to put forward additional revenue
spending of £350,000 to improve services.”
He added: “The capital spend in 2008/9 will be £7.2 million
which is double what we will spend this year. And we have been able
to do all this despite a real terms cut in Government funding.”
Below are some examples of where this extra expenditure will be
spent are :
- There will be the introduction of free bus
travel anywhere in England for the over 60's and the disabled. The
Government has not fully funded the scheme and the Council tax has
to make up the substantial difference of £355,000.
- We are improving our car parks, creating two new ones in
Nantwich and carrying out a feasibility study on the introduction
of a park and ride scheme in Nantwich.
- As part of our major campaign to tackle crime and the scourge
of anti social behaviour we are increasing the hours of coverage of
CCTV, the major programme of alley gating will continue, the five
PCSO's we are part funding are now in place, our Community Wardens
will continue to do their good work and Alcohol Free Zones will be
introduced across most of the Borough.
- We have continued our commitment to encouraging more affordable
homes and jobs in rural areas and maintained the grants to Parish
Councils and Nantwich Town Council to alleviate double
taxation.
- We are encouraging local residents to become more involved in
decisions that affect their communities. We support the
creation of resident groups and Parish Plans.
- We have a strong commitment to making the Borough cleaner and
greener. We have extended the green waste collection and the blitz
team to the entire Borough, we are introducing a new refuse
collection round and we have signed the Nottingham Agreement which
emphasises our commitment to improve the local
environment.
- We are returning Queens Park to its former glory with an
investment of £6 million, the new cemetery in Crewe will be opened
this year and the BMX track and Skateboard Park at Tipkinder Park
are proving to be a major success with our younger citizens. As
well for our younger residents there is £27,000 for youth fund
schemes in 2008/9, which is more than was spent in previous years,
our Community and Sports Development team have obtained external
funding of over half a million pounds for youth activities since
May 2006 and in the capital programme there is £100,000 for
youth and community projects. Our young people have never been
better provided for.
- The transformation of Crewe town centre is making progress,
consultation will start shortly on exciting developments in the
Snow Hill area in Nantwich town centre and plans for the
regeneration of the west end of Crewe have been announced.
One of the most improved Councils in
the country
Cllr. Silvester continued, “When we were elected we
promised to run the Council more effectively by improving service
delivery and adding value. We believe we're keeping that
promise and our external auditors agree that we're a 'good Council,
with the right direction of travel'. In fact, our rate of
improvement exceeds that of the majority of other local
authorities. Indeed, our Environmental Health and Planning services
have been judged the most improved in the whole of the country.
Overall, when you take into account all the services we deliver, we
are nineteenth most improved Council out of the 388 Councils in
England. This is a remarkable achievement and a tribute to our
staff. They have achieved this high level of performance despite
their legitimate concerns about the Local Government Review and job
evaluation.”
“It is a tragedy that a good Council like ours is likely to be
abolished. However, until that happens we will endeavor to deliver
the quality services that residents rightly expect at a level of
Council Tax that is reasonable.”
A record to be proud of
“The main aim of this administration is an
affordable Council Tax, whilst maintaining and improving the basic
services that matter to local residents. We have shown that
this can be done by the Council working more efficiently and
effectively and by better housekeeping.
Mr. Mayor, our administration has kept the
Council tax down and improved services. We have a record that we
can be rightly proud of.
I commend this budget to the Council."
ENDS
0035/jv
28th February 2008
MEDIA CONTACT: Jo Vause - 01270 537018
news.views@crewe-nantwich.gov.uk