Flintshire Council faced with cuts of £13.7 million next year

Flintshire Council looks set to make cuts of £13.7 million next year as it faces a large hole in its budget. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The authority has estimated that council tax bills may need to increase by 4.5 per cent in order to help plug the gap in 2019/20. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

It follows an above average rise for residents of 6.7 per cent earlier this year in order to assist school budgets. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

As a result of the projected shortfall for all 22 Welsh councils, the Welsh Local Government Association is lobbying Welsh Government for an uplift in their revenue support grant. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Council leader Aaron Shotton said the projected amount had gone up from £10.6m as a result of emerging pressures including increased wage costs. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

In a report, he said: “In summary, the council will need to identify efficiencies of £13.7m to balance the budget for 2019/20 with £13.1m needing to be on a recurring basis. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“After taking into account efficiencies identified to date, and with an estimated hypothetical council tax increase of 4.5 per cent for our needs, the council would need a minimum increase in its revenue support grant of three per cent. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“This would rise to an estimated four per cent to be able to meet the anticipated shortfall in funding for the additional teacher pay and pension costs. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The impact of the current pay award for non-schools employees over and above the one per cent uplift is £1.084m which will need to be met from reserves on a temporary basis in the current financial year. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“However, the cumulative effect for 2019/20 increases to £3.251m when taking into account factors such as incremental progression.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The impact of the non-teacher pay award for school-based staff is estimated to be in the region of £1.2m. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Meanwhile, the recently announced teachers’ pay award would add a further £1.9m, but is not included in the forecast as it is expected to be funded nationally. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The projected additional budget needed to meet social service demands, including out of county placements, totals £5.2m. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The report will be considered by Flintshire Council’s cabinet next Tuesday.
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By Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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