Scarborough Deficit 'Not Too Bad' Says Councillor

It's hoped Scarborough Borough Council's budget deficit of £10 million pounds, caused by a drop in income caused by coronavirus, can be lowered.

The authority's Cabinet member for Corporate Resources, Janet Jefferson, says that with grants and support from the government, that could come down by nearly half.

She also says they're not expecting to raise council tax next year - or to cut services.

Cllr Jefferson said:

"It's quite a lot of money to have lost in charges etc., but we are confident that we'll get this back.

We're going to be left with this deficit of about £5.6 million. This we can borrow from the government at a preferential rate if we want to, because we are under-borrowed as a borough.

The biggest reduction in fees we've had in fees is obviously car parking, where we've lost something like £2.32 million. August was very good - the longer the season goes, the more money we can recoup."