York Liberal Democrats

York: "cleaner, greener and safer"

Steve Galloway will tell York Councillors at tonight's annual budget meeting that "the City is cleaner greener and safer than it was 2 years ago".

He will reveal plans to introduce more economical ways of working. These will include the introduction of electronic access Council services.

The number of buildings occupied by the Council will also be reduced in a further attempt to control costs.

Another major initiative will be the separate collection of garden waste later in the year - a move aimed at reducing the punitive levels of landfill tax which are partly responsible for the increase in Council Tax levels in the City.

More will be invested in de-icing footpaths as an extension to the York Pride campaign.

But central government will come under fire for failing to provide York with a fair grant deal.

"I am aware that one of the local MPs is seeking to talk up the effects that additional grant should have on services and Council Tax levels.

It is true that over recent years that central government grants to local Councils have increased faster than inflation.

But that is not of course the whole story.

Next year, the additional government support grant on our expenditure of £165M is £6.162 million.

Of this £1.160 million is not new money. It simply replaces other funding streams

The key facts that residents need to bear in mind in the debate about grant levels are these:

That some of the grant "increase" results from a transfer, into support grant, of money which was already being spent in York to pay for specific services. In that sense, it is not additional money

The government is also transferring additional duties, responsibilities and - particularly in the case of landfill tax - financial burdens onto the Council

&, critically, more than half of the grant is "ring-fenced" and must be passed on to local schools to balance their budgets. It is this part of the settlement that has increased at above inflation levels and is being used to fund teacher workload reforms. For example, teachers are now entitled to periods of preparation time and no longer undertake routine tasks - which have been taken over by new assistants. The Council has no option but to "passport" on this funding. This is in addition to the above FSS funding which the Council already gives to Education.

So of the £6.162 million, £3.647 is ring-fenced for Education. The total Education budget is £88.924 million

This leaves £2.515 million (3.3%) to support the remaining Council services (Social Services, transport, leisure etc) where the total budget is £76.237 million. At 3.3% this is broadly in line with inflation but fails to take into account the additional costs that are falling on the Council - cost increases on road resurfacing materials, for example, are running at 10% pa.

Put simply, central government is expecting local government to do more,

for most services it is providing no real terms increase in grant

and, in the case of landfill tax, it is taking back more than it is giving.

The meeting will confirm a Council Tax increase of just under 5% - in line with the wishes of residents expressed during the December "tax poll"; while most car parking charges will be frozen - the first real terms reduction in charges for 10 years.

The Council Leader will list 8 major improvements that residents can expect to see over the next year:

1. "See the arrival of the new FTR Bus/Tram which could transform the comfort levels of public transport expected in the City and indeed in the region.

2. 4 new schools, with new facilities, newly equipped, available for the community, with a new library, a new Sure Start centre and other facilities - all at almost no/very little cost to the local tax payer. The first new build for 2 decades. Plus at least one of the secondary schools will be substantially modernised.

3. Dramatically improved recycling facilities in the City. We are already recycling at a rate exceeding central government targets following the step improvement driven through by the present Council. We'll do even better, first by introducing a separate collection of garden waste for composing and then by modernising the household waste sites.

4. Make a start on modernising our sports halls, concert venues and swimming pools, neglected for years & invest £50,000 more in leisure provision for teenagers addressing the top concern expressed by residents in the ResOp opinion poll and confirming the conclusions of the Councils own scrutiny panel.

5. invest an additional £25,000 in Safe City initiatives

6. Help to fund a new City Centre partnership which will stimulate economic activity at the heart of our community

7. We will complete the modernisation of all our elderly persons homes and will replace the aging and outdated Hebden Rise centre, for those with disabilities, with a new facility.

8. Work will start on the new Eco Depot - a model of sustainable design which will set new standards for the region and which has very recently attracted an increased grant from Yorkshire Forward".

"This is a budget that we are happy to take responsibility for. There are no short term expedients. The budget is robust and looks to the future

The City of York is always at its most effective when residents work together to overcome issues. This we have done very effectively with our partners over the last 2 years.

Together we will provide more tangible success in the future. Today we are proud of our City.

Tomorrow it will be even better".

For the full draft of Council Leader Steve Galloway's speech, go to the 'Speeches' section of the Main Menu.