OPPOSITION Conservative councillors have launched a bold alternative budget which pledges to save city libraries and grant funding to tackle potholes.
The Conservative group has announced a savings plan which would free up £669,000 to be injected into services delivered by the council next year.
It comes ahead of a full council meeting today (February 19) which will debate the local authority’s budget for 2019/20.
Proposals include a ‘Community Library Development Fund’ to support the city’s under-threat libraries.
Many are now run by volunteers and face an uncertain future after successive funding cuts, as we reported.
The alternative budget aims to improve the standard and safety of highways and pavements in the city.
It includes additional funding to tackle pot holes and increased funding for road safety schemes.
Conservatives also intend to boost struggling high streets with a new ‘Community High Street Challenge Fund’.
From April, businesses and community groups would be able to apply for match funding to help improve the appearance of their local high street, they say.
Increased funding would also allow the council to hire more operatives and tackle fly-tipping – which has risen by 44 per cent in recent years.
Conservatives also propose halving council tax for households across the city which currently foster children, encouraging more to foster.
There is also a pledge to restore ward forums which allow councillors to more easily hear residents’ concerns.
Shadow cabinet member for finance Councillor Ken Taylor said: “This budget tackles waste and vested interest, it diverts resources to front line service where they are needed most.
“For instance, it would help to keep local libraries open and improve Children’s Services. It is a budget for the whole city and has been signed off by officers as deliverable, balanced and legally compliant.
“It represents a bold and ambitious plan for our future as a great city.”
The savings earmarked by the Conservatives include a move to all–out elections every four years and would end the practice of holding elections almost every year.
They’d also reduce the amount of money spent on councillors’ allowances by reducing the size of the city’s key decision making body, the cabinet. They would scrap deputy cabinet members altogether.
The amount of taxpayer’s money given to the trades unions each year would be cut, and the ‘secretive’ ‘Policy Contingency Fund’ would also be scrapped.
The ‘Citivision’ publication would also be abolished with it being made available online instead.
