Sunderland City Council Budgets
Budgets for day-to-day Sunderland City Council services, investments and improvements, plus a provisional Council Tax increase are examined next week.
The City Council's Cabinet meeting on Tuesday 8 February is looking at a possible Council Tax increase of 2.99 per cent.
This is in line with recent Government directions and assumptions that councils will increase the general tax by 1.99 per cent to help pay for day-to-day services and increase the adult social care precept by one per cent.
The proposed increase will be confirmed at the meeting.
Subject to the Cabinet decision and then a full council meeting at the beginning of March, the majority of Sunderland households would be paying less than £1 a week extra next year towards city services.
It is anticipated that Sunderland's Council Tax will again remain the lowest in the North East region. Further details will be tabled at the meeting.
Demand for adult social care continues to grow and the one per cent social care precept is expected to raise around £3m. For 2021/22 the adult social care budget was £165m and it is the biggest part of the council’s day to day spending at 23 per cent.
The Cabinet budget report notes how demand for adult care services is expected to rise further in coming years.*
A major investment programme to bring in more new homes, improve infrastructure, and promote economic growth continues as part of the ongoing City Plan for a dynamic, healthy and vibrant and smart 21st century Sunderland.
Leader of Sunderland City Council, Councillor Graeme Miller said: "The Government expects that we must pass a Council Tax increase onto our residents.
"Because of Government budget cuts and continued uncertainty on funding, and as demand increases for many services, such as adult social care, we have a budget gap of nearly £19m. This gap is being met with further savings and efficiencies and using £5m of reserves.
"We are planning ‘significant’ investment in both adults and children’s social care to support the rising demand and cost pressures. Jointly these areas require budget increases of over £14.7m in 2022/23 to meet these pressures.
"The proposed budget also allows investment in key services to support our communities.
"These proposals include, among other priorities:
• the provision of ongoing additional funding to support environmental services delivery; and
• investment in waste collection and recycling through reviewing the arrangements for replacement bins and bulky waste
"In addition, further funding is also provided to support the council’s ambitious and exciting capital investment proposals to support the delivery of the City Plan.
"The budget also allows for the continuation of free pest control services to our city’s residents into next year – an initiative we introduced in October 21 for a 12 month period and has been widely welcomed by our residents.
"We have asked residents what they want and need, and we are responding to what they have told us. We will continue to listen through undertaking a residents’ survey during 2022/23.
"The council has done its best to protect residents from the impact of the Government’s austerity measures since 2010. The compound impact of the Government’s significant and disproportionate funding reductions in previous years, combined with unavoidable unfunded cost pressures, means we are once again faced with very difficult decisions.
"Raising council tax is one of those difficult decisions. If we do not raise the tax, we will need to cut services and reduce our investment into key priority areas. That would mean cuts in services to those most vulnerable in our communities and to the services which residents tell us are a high priority. "
Formal decisions of the other precepting bodies, such as the police and fire service, are still awaited. Further details are due at the meeting.
The council confirmed in December that as part of its savings and efficiency reviews to help meet the budget gap up to 60 staff could be made redundant.
The council's budget meeting is on Wednesday 2 March when the budget and Council Tax will be formally approved. Sunderland's Council Tax currently raises around £16 for every £100 in the budget.