Essex: Budget Plans Announced
Essex County Council will freeze council tax, spend extra money on school places and invest in the county's roads despite making savings of £55 million.
The Council's budget was approved by its cabinet today (Tuesday, January 22) and will go in front of the full Council next month.
It signifies the end of what has been termed "Transformation One", where the Council was tasked with saving £364 million over a four year period.
It says it's been succesful in doing this and the next stage, "Transformation Two", where the Council aims to save a further £200 million by becoming more "agile" and " flexible" by working with other organisations to help provide services. The Council insists this will not include outsourcing though.
For the 2013/14 financial year, the Council also says it aims to encourage economic growth and support vulnerable people.
Under the proposals recommended by Cabinet today, the Council would:
- invest almost £18 million in providing additional school places across the county;
- invest around £65 million in maintaining and enhancing the county's roads and footpaths;
- increase funding for Home to School Transport by £945,000;
- invest £7.7 million to improve broadband connectivity across the county;
- set aside £1.5 million to support economic growth, job creation and the promotion of Essex as a place where businesses can grow and flourish;
- invest £2 million on providing accommodation for vulnerable people;
- ensure that all library services remain open;
- work with partners to further develop its Early Years Strategy to maximise the take up of free early years entitlement for three and four year olds and fulfil its new duty of providing free early education for the most disadvantaged two year olds; and
- improving schools so that all are classified as at least good by inspectors.
There will be a reduction in funding for some areas though. Children's Services will be particularly affected with a reduction in funding of £13 million.
Councillor David Finch insists this is not a cut though, but a saving the Council is able to bring about because of work it has done over the past year: "Because of the intensive work we have done to help the children before they actually get into the care system, the numbers will drop to around 1,250 as opposed to ,1480 or 1500".