Warnings Isle of Wight faces 'toughest ever' budget
The council's set to cut a range of services in a bid to save money
Voluntary redundancies, increases in parking charges and reducing the level of support for patients travelling across the Solent are all areas where the Isle of Wight Council is looking to save and make money.
Pending a final decision, council tax will rise by 4.99 per cent from April — two per cent of which will go specifically to adult social care.
To save nearly £4 million, the council’s cabinet has revealed a host of proposals:
A Council-wide re-organisation through voluntary redundancies and managing vacancies – focusing on discretionary service areas and back-office support — £524,900
Reduce the level of cross-Solent travel grants to the NHS – providing the level of funding that matches the money actually spent. The council says there would be no direct impact on front-line service users — £30,000
Removal of falls prevention co-ordinator funding to the NHS Trust — £67,000
Secure a catering concession to run at Dinosaur Isle from March to October — £10,000
Increase ticket prices at Dinosaur Isle — an adult from £6 to £8, family group ticket up £2 to £19 but children’s prices will remain the same — £33,000
Reduce the book replacement fund for libraries by ÂŁ10,000
Reduce the maintenance in cemeteries and parks — £15,000
Increase bereavement services fees due to inflation and energy costs — £300,000
Increase fees and charges in the registrar’s service by 10 per cent — £15,000
Increase parking fees by 25p an hour — £195,000
Increase overnight parking fees — £36,600
A 20 per cent increase in All Island Parking Permits. Those paying monthly payments will pay £10 more a month and those making a yearly payment, will pay £110 more — £60,000
Increase the cost of tourist parking permits — £11,000
Increase the cost of purchasing 200-metre residential parking permits by 20 per cent — £12,000
Increase enforcement patrols across the Island — £24,000
Floating Bridge vehicle charges will return to pre-covid levels of £2.50 and £3 — £98,000
A reduction in the concessionary fares budget which is said to have no direct impact on front-line service users — £100,000
Removing the role of Assistant Chief Executive role — £150,000
Stop using external property advice — £50,000
Leave Jubilee Stores in Newport as the lease has ended — £80,000
Increase council tax and business rates admin fees to ensure council’s court costs are met, due to the additional activities undertaken to recover unpaid tax — £16,000
Stop funding Ryde Help Centre — which Ryde Town Council will fund instead — £16,000
Independent councillor Karl Love said the authority was facing the toughest budget in its history.
He added:
"The alternative to our budget is to be declaring ourselves bankrupt, and we think that is the worst thing that could ever do, handing away our autonomy and governance of the island to somebody on the mainland or a receiver.
"Our priorities our to protect adult social care, protect our children's services, and so the other services such as highways and environment will have to pick up the pieces.
"That means they'll be facing some difficult times moving forward."
The savings will be made from cuts and income-generation schemes to meet extraordinary budget pressures the council has been unable to mitigate or meet through additional government funding.
It also covers the increased cost of raising the level of support of the council’s Local Council Tax Support Scheme, from 65 per cent to 70 per cent.
A final decision about the proposals and increases will be made at the Isle of Wight Council’s meeting on February 22nd.