Council tax set to rise almost three per cent and free parking to be scrapped to plug £24m funding gap

Council tax looks set to rise by almost three per cent and free parking scrapped as Wakefield Council struggles to plug a £24m funding gap for the next financial year.

The local authority has announced it is also planning to scrap some council jobs as it struggles to balance the books.

Other proposals include increasing charges to use leisure centres, reducing access to facilities in Pugneys Country Park and the closure of public toilets.

A raft of cost-saving and revenue-raising measures have been outlined in initial budget proposals for the 2023/24 financial year to be put to senior councillors next week.

Wakefield Council leader Denise Jeffery blamed the cuts on years of chronic government underfunding.

She said: “The Government’s funding model for local councils is completely unsustainable and fundamentally damaging.

“My greatest concern is the impact on our residents who are already struggling in the middle of a brutal cost of living crisis.

“For half a decade now, the government has been handing out funding year by year, giving us no ability to plan for the future. 

“The funding for 2023/24 is just enough to keep councils on the edge of the cliff for one more year and yet again pushes a greater financial burden onto the taxpayer. 

“Sooner or later the Government needs to stop kicking the can down the road and sort it out.” 

A report by the council’s chief executive, Andrew Balchin, will be put to cabinet members on January 17.

The document states: “Continuing changes in government funding continue to have the most detrimental impact on the most vulnerable across the district, those people who rely the most on essential public services.  

It adds: “Through our engagement, people have told us that we need to keep investing in dealing with anti-social behaviour, in caring for vulnerable adults and children and in keeping our roads and streets safe and clean.”

It also proposes using £10m of reserves, essentially the council’s emergency funds, to help ease the pressure on services and residents.

The key proposals to tackle a £24.7m gap include:– £14m from ‘service efficiencies and savings’. This would include saving of over £2m by scrapping vacant council posts, reducing staffing and reviewing structures.– Temporary and permanent building closures and cutting energy use are also estimated to save around £700,000.– Services at Pugney’s could be changed as well as access to some facilities in the district’s parks.<- £4.9m from increasing Council Tax. The proposals include increasing general council tax by 2.99 per cent.Council tax for a band A property is currently £1,037.90 per year and £1,556.84 per year for a band D property.- £2m from housing and business growth. This includes increasing charges at leisure centres and for services including trade waste and pest control. The removal of free two-hour parking in council-run car parks is also proposed so that the income can be invested back into the district’s roads.- £3.3m from the levy of a 2 per cent adult social care precept. The precept would help ensure the local authority can continue to cope with a huge growth in demand for vital services.Coun Jeffery said: “Good financial management over the years means we continue to be able to protect most frontline services."We are acutely aware that residents’ lives will be affected by any changes to our services and our financial decisions."We know many of you are already struggling to get by.“The government claims that councils have ‘an option’ to raise council tax,2 she said. "The reality is they have given us no choice."Their continued and woeful underfunding simply puts the financial burden on local people, something we have worked so hard to avoid.”The council said in a statement that it will still be delivering over 1,800 services and that supporting vulnerable people will continue to be its priority.Coun Jeffery added: “We will still protect and nurture the ambition of our children and our families."Adults who need our care will still be supported and looked after with compassion.“We will still invest in our city and town centres, our parks and green spaces."Our climate agenda must still be delivered if we are to protect our district for future generations.“We face tough and uncertain times, but you have my word that we are still here for you.”If cabinet members accept the initial proposals they will then go out for residents and businesses to have their say, via a two-week online survey.The final budget will go to back to cabinet on February 14 and to full Council for approval on March 1.