What we've done to tackle the challenges so far
In order to help tackle our financial challenges:
- Significantly reduced the number of staff that work at the Council.
- A number of opportunities projects for generating income or reducing costs were implemented and £587,000 of savings from these were applied to the 2019/20 budget.
- A number of these projects are ongoing and could see additional income or reduction in costs of around £900,000.
- Continued use of investment properties helped to generate £2,150,000 of income in 2019/20.
- Increases to fees and charges were made and new charges where introduced where appropriate.
- Council Tax was increased by £5 a year.
- We continued to adopt Systems Thinking* across Council services to reduce costs whilst improving customer satisfaction.
- We continued the prudent use of low cost borrowing.
- Agreed to the introduction of coastal parking charges from summer 2021 onwards.
- Will launch garden waste collection subscription service in early 2022.
*Systems thinking helps to design Council services so that the needs of the customer are met in the simplest and most efficient way.