Cardiff's Lib Dem executive sets out its draft budget proposals

The Liberal Democrat executive on Cardiff Council has released its draft budget proposals for 2007/08 which could see council tax rise by just 4.9% next year. This would give the average rise under the council's current Liberal Democrat administration of just 2.8%.

This is in stark contrast to the average increase of 11% that residents faced when the council was run by Labour between 1995 and 2004.

Despite the disappointing settlement the council has received from the Welsh Assembly and cost pressures faced by social services, waste management and pension contributions, the executive is proposing a number of initiatives that will improve the service that Cardiff's residents receives from their council. These include:

• An additional £9 million for vulnerable adults, to meet increasing demand for services
• An additional £1.3 million for vulnerable children, to meet increasing demand for services
• An additional £1.4 million to continue the roll out of free doorstep recycling collections to every house in Cardiff. This brings the total additional revenue investment to date to £4 million
• A further £1 million commitment to a schools investment fund which can now deliver £23 million of capital funding to improve schools in Cardiff
• £75,000 to supply five dedicated community support officers in order to provide targeted support in areas of high anti-social behaviour. This doubles the number of officers to 10.
• A further £80,000 to continue the development of the Cardiff Museum
• £150,000 for an additional six community sweepers
• £200,000 to boost St Davids Hall and the New Theatre
• £172,000 to boost libraries, including increased opening hours at the new Splott Library
• £48,000 for homelessness prevention
• £200,000 to support the delivery of major projects such as St Davids 2, ISV and new stadia for Cardiff City FC and Glamorgan CCC

Within the budget, the executive is also proposing efficiency savings of £10.3 million (compared to £9.5 million in 2005/06 and £11.6 million in 2006/07). Among the areas where savings have been identified are:

• £170,000 from senior management
• £350,000 from use of consultants
• £650,000 from use of agency staff
• £100,000 from overtime payments
• £350,000 from efficiencies on utilities
• £112,000 from members' expenditure and refreshments
• £158,000 saving from eliminating the need to house homeless people in "bed & breakfast" as great strides have been made in dealing with homelessness in Cardiff
• £150,000 additional income being generated by the state of the art MRF facility at Lamby Way

Councillor Mark Stephens, Executive Member for Economic Development and Finance, said: "Despite a challenging settlement from the Welsh Assembly Government, the Liberal Democrat executive is proposing a budget which will deliver real improvements in the services that matter most to local people, while keeping the average council tax rise under the Liberal Democrats to 2.8%.

"Funding is now in place to ensure that every street in Cardiff will have free recycling by the summer to help hit the 40% recycling target that the Liberal Democrat Executive has set.

"Cardiff is not alone amongst local authorities in experiencing increasing financial pressures within social services that have not been matched by a sufficient increase in funds from the Welsh Assembly Government. An investment by the council of an additional £10.3 million should, however, ensure that every vulnerable adult and child in Cardiff receives the support they deserve.

"I am also pleased that continuing to fulfil our election pledge of providing council-employed community support officers by providing funding to double their number. Working alongside the police, and in conjunction with the new "101" service, these officers will be used to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour throughout our city.

"We will also continue our war against litter by employing a further 6 community street sweepers. This means that the Liberal Democrat administration has employed a further 27 community sweepers since we took control of the council.

"To help us provide additional funding for these key areas of spending we have identified a significant level of efficiency savings totalling £10.3 million. In achieving these savings, we have as far as possible protected all existing front line services from cuts - although we have been forced to make one or two difficult decisions.

"These draft budget proposals will now be consulted upon with members of council, the council's scrutiny committees, trade unions, interested parties and, of course, Cardiff's residents."