We believe that local residents want their Council services to be maintained and improved and that they also want a Council Tax that is affordable. We have kept our promises to residents and we hope that they will give us their continued support so that we can carry on the work we have started.

 

 

The Borough Council Tax for 2007/08 has been reduced by 1% and services have been improved.

 

 

Tackling the unfairness of Double Taxation

 

Residents in the parishes and in Nantwich have to pay a Parish Tax but Crewe residents don't. This results in unfairness. For example, playing fields in Crewe are paid for and maintained by contributions from all Borough Council Taxpayers, yet in parishes like Wrenbury and Willaston playing fields are paid for solely by the Parish Council Tax. Residents in parishes are paying twice, once through the Borough Council Tax and once through the Parish Council Tax.

 

This is grossly unfair and the Borough Council has provided a grant of £2 per household to every Parish Council and Nantwich Town Council. This will begin to alleviate the unfairness of double taxation.

 

Green waste scheme extended into the rural areas

 

Residents in the urban parts of the Borough have been able to use the green waste scheme for some years. We are now rolling out this service to the rural areas.

 

Increased income in 2007/08

 

Charges are to be introduced on the Thomas Street car park in Crewe. There is no logical reason why this car park, which is very convenient for the town centre, should be free when the other town centre car parks have charges. We are also introducing charges on the Edleston Road and Wood Street (east) car parks and expanding the charges at the Railway Street car park. This will lead to greater turnover of cars, which will result in more parking places being available.

 

 

Areas of search for efficiency gains and sustainability

 

To keep the Council Tax down, further expenditure reductions and extra income will be required in future years. These will be in addition to the efficiency savings the Government requires Councils to make:-

 

a)     We will continue with the vacancy management policy.

 

b)     We will put out to tender those services where costs are higher than the best local authorities. Our aim will be to reduce costs whilst maintaining or improving services.

 

c)      We will ensure effective arrangements are in place for investing in facilities where the open space strategy shows deficits in provision and where those investments would enable the release for sale of any surplus. After that, receipts from the sale of the surplus land will be invested to obtain extra revenue. When the current capital investment programme is completed and we can demonstrate with some certainty that the use of any new receipts is a sensible proposal, we will consider further schemes.

 

d)     We will fund the existing commitments in respect of past retirement costs from reserves to ease the base budget position.

 

e)     We will only use the car park charges increases this year for one-off expenditure as the extra income is already assumed in the medium term plans, but early introduction will ensure the base budget support in next year. Any car parks brought into the charging regime and into the base budget this year will be in place for a part year; the full year effect will also assist the base position in future years.

 

f)       We will arrange a review of the Council's services to ensure value for money in all areas and that the Council runs efficiently and delivers any improvements that are needed.

 

g)     We will investigate the possibility of the Borough Council's recreation facilities being managed by trusts, with a view to maintaining and improving the services provided by these facilities, at a lower cost to the local Council Taxpayers. Chester City Council successfully adopted this approach to deliver recreation services several years ago.

 

h)     We will consider alternative ways of procuring goods and services where improvements in efficiency and cost effectiveness can be achieved.

 

i)    We are strong supporters of enhanced two-tier and collaborative working with other District Councils, the County Council and the rest of the public sector. By working more closely together we believe that savings can be made in areas like the back office support for our front-line services.

 

Contact:           Cllr Brian Silvester

                        Fax: 01270 567757

                        E-mail: cllr.brian.silvester@crewe-nantwich.gov.uk

                       

                        Cllr Graham Fenton

                        Tel:  01270 628795

                        Fax:  01270 628795

                        Email: cllr.graham.fenton@crewe-nantwich.gov.uk

 

February 2007