Working Together to Tackle Funding Gap: Savings Proposals Updated Following Consultation

Following extensive public consultation, an updated package of Council savings proposals over the next four years has been published. After a remarkable level of participation in the consultation including over 4,000 responses, a number of proposals have been amended, including the retention of additional funds for Youth Services and the services provided by the Home Start Charity.

The Council must make £36million of savings over the next four years in order to deliver a balanced budget, in the context of a total net budget of £129million. Tackling this unprecedented funding gap is a huge challenge, and that's why we want to work together with local residents to ensure we take the right decisions for our Borough. Once again Bedford Borough Council was one of the first local authorities in the country to consult residents on proposals for tackling the unprecedented funding gap, and I am extremely grateful to the many people who took part and gave their views. The Council has listened to what people have said, and the amended proposals reflect that.

We have been up front about the fact that we face very tough decisions, but the priority throughout has been to maximise protection for vital services. Indeed. we are retaining key services which have been removed elsewhere, such as libraries, children's centres and rural bus services.

While there is no avoiding the fact that there are extremely tough decisions to be taken, with all parties working together on this and the involvement of so many residents through the consultation, Bedford Borough is well placed to face the challenge.

The full list of proposals will be considered by the Council's Executive at its meeting this Wednesday, December 7th. The amendments that have been made to proposals following the consultation include:

• Robinson Pool to retain its early-opening of 6am
• Park and Ride waiting facility to be kept open, by making alternative savings
• Youth Services to retain additional £50,000 to support youth work
• Services provided by Homestart charity to continue to be funded
• Discretionary Rate Relief changes to be phased in more slowly to help local charities manage the change
• Some rural bus routes to be exempt from the proposed peak-time restriction on concessionary travel